Strange Encounters
by The Neutral Warrior
Summary: They were complete strangers who encountered each other at a park. They have nothing in common; complete opposites. So why is there this sense of attachment? What has led them to this? *Edited* Riku x Sora
1. Chapter 1

**December 24, Christmas Eve**

"This is completely stupid. How foolish of me...to sit here and wait..."

A boy with pale skin, white hair was sitting at a bench in a park filled with blankets of snow, making it a white wonder. Watching with his green eyes, there were people passing by with huge shopping bags and the sound of children's laughter along the way, filling the atmosphere with their excitement and joy of the significance of the present day. He ignored them and they did likewise, passing the pale boy with a black trench coat and a scarf of the same color covering half his face. The whiteness of his hair stood out from the dark colors, only leaving his green eyes to be seen, which were unusually bright, probably because of the coldness in the air.

"I knew I shouldn't have done this...why I thought that this time would be different?..."

Sitting on the bench with the snow slowly coming down, glittering to make their presence known, he holds a small box on his glove covered hand, wanting to get rid of it.

"It was stupid of me to think this could work. I knew I shouldn't have come. I knew it…..but….why am I still here, waiting?"

The boy didn't move. He kept still at his spot on the bench, not moving the slightest inch. His eyes only moved, following a random snowflake falling from the sky, making a zigzag-like pattern to the ground. He must've been distracted from this because he didn't notice that someone was on front of him, blocking his view of the continuous falling of the white snow.

"Looks like you are ignoring me. Am I annoying or something?"

"Huh?"

The boy snapped out of his trance and focused on what was going on. There was a person, a boy (at least that is what he thought because he couldn't really tell) with a beige colored coat and a blue scarf covering his face. Yet, the features that made this boy stood out was his spiky brown hair, having each spike pointing at a different direction, somehow keeping its posture. There were also his eyes, having a color as if it came from the bluest ocean known to man.

"I said if I was annoying or something. Cause you weren't answering."

"I am so sorry. I was simply enjoying the sight of the falling snow until someone just blocked my view of the scenery."

"Ha. Aren't you a sarcastic one?"

"Hmph. Whatever. What is it that you want anyway?"

_This kid is really getting on my nerves. Geesh, is everyone this annoying? Damn it, damn it all…_

"I was asking why you're all alone out here?"

"What is it to you?"

"Just asking. Is it bad to be a curious person sometimes?"

"Curiosity killed the cat. Didn't you know that?"

" ,….seems like I'm a lucky cat."

This boy just grinned and the white-haired boy just stared at him.

_Why is he smiling? What is there to smile about?_

"I was waiting...for…someone."

_Why do I feel ashamed saying this? I am better than this._

"Really? That's great because I'm someone!"

"You're kidding. You're just a stranger, someone I don't know."

"Yeah, that is true. But a stranger is someone, right?"

"…"

_Crap. This kid is seriously annoying._

"How would you like to go somewhere to eat or do something with this stranger?"

"And why would I do that?"

"Because I think it's better than sitting out here in the cold. Besides, strangers are interesting sometimes, if I do say so myself in this case."

The boy just smiled at the white-haired boy like a naïve child.

"You're definitely weird…uh….."

"Sora. My name is Sora."

"I see. Isn't that-"

"A girl's name? I know, I know. It can be a boy's name too. It's unisex."

"I see."

"What about yours, if I may ask?" Sora asked.

"Uh…Riku"

"Riku? Isn't that a boy's name?"

"I AM a boy" A hint of annoyance was noticed in Riku's tone.

"Hehe. I know. It's just that your hair makes you looks like a girl."

Riku made a "pissed off" face at this comment while Sora chuckled, finding it amusing. Riku guessed at this point that this was Sora's way of having a conversation: being playful.

"So what do you say? Wanna hang out on Christmas eve?"

"I don't celebrate Christmas."

"Oh? So what do you celebrate? Hanakkuh, Ramadan-"

"I don't celebrate anything."

"Oh, I see…..Well, I think that's better! That means there are no standards, no limitations to celebrate!"

"I don't feel like celebrating. I never was the type of person to do so. Holidays are stupid." A silence filled in but Riku didn't hesitate to continue.

" Sure, it can be exciting the first few times to celebrate whatever the crap you want to celebrate but after a while, it gets boring and dull. So what's the purpose of continuing?"

"I think…"

Sora paused and sat down next to Riku on the cold bench. He didn't sit too close to Riku since he just met this person and doesn't know how Riku wil react towards space so Sora kept a good distance from him.

"…the purpose of continuing to celebrate is to find new ways to do so. It may not be called celebrating to some up to that point but it is better to try, than just to live up to the same boring, dull way of what you mentioned."

Riku didn't talk for a few seconds, repeating the words from the spiky brown haired boy in his head. He did reply back but only spoke a few words to Sora.

"Those are wise words…for an answer to a stupid question."

Sora stood up from the bench and stretched his body out from sitting on the cold bench. He then turned to Riku with a smile on his face while Riku was still in the same position from the start, not moving an inch.

"Well, I say we should get going! We can go to a nice restaurant in Twilight Square, one that is not too crowded or holiday themed. Besides, I'm inviting. I'll pay for whatever you want to eat and I am not backing down. You won't get rid of me that easy. "

"Shit, you're serious? I have to deal with this kid?" Riku thought and he stared at Sora who was still smiling at him.

"It's not going ask much. I am just asking for you to join me, a nice accompaniment in this cold, winter's night and at least talk. As far as I know, it's better to talk to a stranger out of nowhere than talk to yourself and know that you're alone."

Riku didn't argue. He didn't speak for a while after what Sora just said. Was he going to accept an invitation from a complete, annoying stranger or rather to continue to sit at the cold bench in the middle of the park at night for something that wasn't even going to happen?

_Shit, this is stupid. Why me?_

Riku stood up from the bench slowly to which it seems like forever to Sora. Riku just stood there on front of Sora, with a cool face expression. Sora slowly smiled on front of Riku then walk down the path from the bench to the exit of the park, just knowing that Riku will follow him.

Riku stood there, watching Sora walking down the path. Riku soon turned his head to look at the bench and then to the pathway opposite to where he was. It is like the atmosphere had a voice, saying that this was his last chance to whatever he was waiting for in the first place, no needing to show it in a physical way or say it out loud or say it in his head. He just let whatever that was suppose to or expected to happen know that this was their last chance and no more.

Riku slowly walked down the path that Sora was walking on, catching up on his own pace. Riku wasn't going to like this but he had to admit that he wasn't going to entirely hate it either.

Riku kept staring at Sora who was sitting across from him, enjoying the meal he ordered and still had that smile on his face from when they left the park.

The restaurant they were in wasn't fancy but it wasn't a rundown either. It took both of them a while to pick a place to eat, with Sora telling Riku to pick whatever restaurant at Twilight Square but Riku kept insisting that he really didn't care ,which made things difficult. Riku figured out that Sora didn't want to make a decision to what restaurant to eat at so he left that decision to Riku, a complete stranger that he just met not long ago. However, Riku was never fond of making decisions. Eventually, they both decided on a restaurant called The Usual Spot. There was nothing special about it. Just a few simple decorations here and there and it was not too crowded for these two strangers.

Even with the small and not so vivid decorations in the restaurant, Riku still hated it. Any hint of the holidays made his stomach sick. Plus, he was stuck with someone who acted like a kid who had the biggest present they can ever get. Literally. With all smiles and laughs, it's hard to know or even figure out what made this kid tick. All this kid does was babble a lot, asking Riku questions and wanting to make a conversation, small talk. To Sora, it's a conversation. To Riku, it's babble , especially since he was trying to ignore it. So far, it wassn't working.

"You are hardly eating your meal"

"….."

"Are you sure soup is enough to eat? You can order anything. I told you, it's on me"

"…no thank you."

"I'm just trying to make conversation."

"Really? I haven't noticed." Riku just stared at Sora with a cool expression, occasionally putting his elbow on the table with his head leaning on his hand but still continuing his staring at Sora.

"Is there something you like?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Because you seem to be staring at me the whole time since we left the park." Sora chuckled and looked at Riku with a smile, which didn't really change Riku's facial expression.

"I was just thinking what makes you tick."

"Tick? Like a clock?"

"Oh how charming. Not only you're annoying but also dumb."

"Well,Mr. Grumpy, not everyone is like you." Sora chuckled while bringing his elbows to the table and the hand folding together by their fingers as Sora gently put his chin on top, looking at Riku with a smile as he continued. "Please explain what you mean."

Riku smirked and leaned back at his seat. "What I meant was what makes you like this. What makes you all smiles and laughs? What makes you act like a stupid child who doesn't know how to act their own age?"

"It's hard to act your age when you're 36."

Riku widened his eyes in disbelief as he slammed one of his hands to the table.

"You're 36!"

Sora soon laughed hard, leaning back to his seat while tears came down his cheeks from the laughter.

"Hahaha…N-no…haha…I'm no-not…haha…36!" Sora couldn't control has laughter even if he tried. Having his arms across his stomach, he continues to laughs while Riku sits there, unamused.

"I don't see what's so funny"

"You should've seen your face. The way you reacted was just so funny!"

"How silly to think you're 36. Someone that age doesn't act like a moron."

"Come on, I'm just 22. I think I can act any way I want to."

"Well, look at that. I'm just a year older and I act WAY MORE mature than you."

"You're 23?" Sora raised an eyebrow then had a confused face.

"Yes. In case you can't do the math, 1 plus 22 equals 23."

"I know that. It's just that with your hair, I thought you were like 45 or something."

"Now you're just being insulting, idiot."

"You know I have a name."

"Yes, I know but I don't want to say a complete stranger's name, especially one who all giggles and crap like you."

"Maybe I'm just happy. Did you ever thought of that?"

"No. That can't be it."

Riku stared at Sora, making complete eye contact to Sora's blue eyes while Sora didn't move, having a calm face.

"Nobody can be 'just happy', Sooo-raaa. There's never a 'just happy'. There's never just happiness. There's never just peace and harmony. There has to be pain and hate and it is people like you who just hide it and act all normal and pretend there's nothing wrong, nothing for the world to see and I guess that really bothers me."

"Then you are the same, Riku."

"Huh?"

"You are like that too. Acting with hate and misery to hide what you truly feel in the inside. Am I right?"

"Hehe….I see. Playing the reverse game, are we now?" Riku folded his arms across his chest with a smirk as he leaned back to his seat, with direct eye contact on Sora.

"Tell me, why talk to a complete stranger like me who just makes fun of you, insults you, trying to crash you into pieces?"

Sora looked at him with a pleasant smile, scratching his left arm with his hand as if something was itching.

"I guess I have an attraction to complete assholes."

Riku didn't act amused, watching Sora scratching his left arm for a while.

"You know, you can just take off your coat if you're so itchy."

Sora stood up, digging through his right coat pocket to take his wallet out and continues to scratch his arm with the wallet at his hand.

"No, I was about to leave anyway. I'm just going to pay the check. I'll meet you outside."

"Who said I was goi-"

Riku was too late since Sora was walking to the counter to pay the check, ignoring Riku and whatever he was going to say, seeming that it wasn't important for him to listen.

_DAMN IT! Stupid ass. Who does he think he is, ordering me what to do and all? And why in the world am I playing his game?_

Riku slowly stood up, taking out his wallet to leave a few bills on the table. As he walked past the counter to the door, he heard the lady behind the counter said Happy Holidays to him. He turned around and replied with a "Bite Me" and left through the door, thinking in his head that the young lady only pretending to having the "holiday spirit" or probably her boss forced her to say this greeting in order to get extra cash. Of course, generosity equals money in this time of year. Such stupidity.

Riku saw Sora waiting by a street light in the corner of the street, the light illuminating the falling snow with Sora standing there like a lost child.

"I can't believe it's 3 in the morning." Riku heard Sora saying this as he approached him.

"The buses won't work right because of the late hour. Not to mention that the holiday schedule is different and the weather is going to get worse in a few days."

"I see."

"I guess we go our separate ways then? I have to walk to my place. It's not far but it would have been much easier with the bus."

"Okay."

"Umm….do you have a problem getting to your place?"

"I live pretty far."

"How far are we talking about?"

"Let's just say it involves 3 bus transfers and 2 train rides."

"Where in the world do you live?"

"I do believe that's none of your business."

"I guess not." Sora giggled and smiled at Riku.

_Geesh, this guy never stops huh?_

"Do you want to crash at my place?"

"You got to be joking."

"Why would I?"

Riku slapped his hand to his forehead in disbelief with a confused Sora staring at him, waiting for him to give some sort of explanation.

"So let me get this straight. You met me, someone you don't know, in a park and invited me to eat. Then inviting to your place?"

"So? It is way better than staying out here in the cold for probably 3 days. Am I right?"

"A stranger like me can do things."

"What kind of things?"

"Unimaginable things."

Riku said this slowly to have some kind of effect on Sora which worked. Sora blushed and pulled up his scarf that covered his neck to cover his cheeks which amused Riku in a way. It made him to smirk as he looked at Sora.

"Well,I-I know that yo-you won't do those things." Sora said and felt Riku's hand on his shoulder, making his eyes widen and stare at Riku.

"What makes you so sure I won't do such things?"

"Cause you're a jerk."

"What? That doesn't make sense."

"Of course it does." Sora laughed, forgetting about what just happen with a bewildered Riku on the side.

"Jerks say what they plan to do or might do but never do it. There might do something close to it, not to the same extreme but to have the same effect. It's like saying you will punch someone but instead make them slip on a wet floor. You didn't do the cause but you have the satisfactory of the effect which is that they got hurt. Jerks want to be superior but are always playing mind games. You know, the easy way out."

"And you, Sora, want to be around a jerk like me as you say?"

"Well,….." Sora looked down and thought, creating that "thinking" facial expression that kids might do which Riku didn't know if he was purposely doing it to annoy him.

"I know how to be around jerks. Like I said earlier, it's some kind of attraction."

"I thought the attraction was towards assholes."

"Jerks and assholes are the same. Same meaning, different words. Sons of bitches and motherfuckers are the opposites."

Riku was thrown back a little from the language Sora just used. Of course, having a young appearance and have such language coming out of their month would surprise anyone. At least Sora broke some part of the "All so innocent and happy" stereotype that Riku thought the type of person Sora was.

"Opposites?"

"Yes. The ones who will actually do things to make themselves feel special."

"I see. I believe you have such experience with such people?"

"Maybe. I mostly had it with jerks and assholes, which explains our encounter."

Sora smiled and Riku frowned as he is now being labeled as "The asshole/jerk" in this type of, dare we say, "relationship," let alone being a complete stranger.

"So now that we have everything explained and cleared out, you are coming over to my place."

"Wait,wait,wait. Who said I was going with you?"

"Riku, you may be a jerk but at least I know when to help someone in a situation."

"Ha! I don't need your help. Never ask for it and never will."

"You have no say in this because you and I both know that we rather be in a warm and decent place than being stranded in the cold, outside waiting for something to happen. It's impossible to go to where you live based on the inactivity of the buses and trains here. And, even if you do have money, the closest hotel here is at least 2 bus transfers away so that option is out. The only choice left is my place. "

As much as Riku hate to admit, he knew that Sora was right. He rather be at a place, at a hotel, even at the restaurant they were at earlier to be out of the cold. Not that he didn't mind the cold temperature. He loves cold weather but just doesn't want be out, especially today out of all days. Riku moved his eyes up to at the night sky and sighed, showing signs of defeat which made Sora smile.

"Fine…you win."

"Yay!"

Sora raised his arms up and smiled. Then he grabbed Riku's arm to pull him to walk to the direction to which Riku believed was the way to Sora's place.

Sora soon let go of Riku, either he was confidante enough that Riku will follow him or to the point that the grabbing may be uncomfortable to the white haired male, the answer wasn't really known. They continue to walk for more than half an hour, feeling the wind becoming stronger and the snow falling harder. The slight pinch feeling in their faces was increasing as they continue to move forward. Riku observed the surroundings as he and Sora were walking by. They came from where there were a ton of restaurants and shops and full of lights, assuming it must have been an attraction spot for the tourists and the town residents. As they walked farther, the streets became filled with small apartment buildings, with the occasional café or deli in the street corner. The streets were becoming less glamorous, compared to the spot from which they left but to the point that it was a decent place to walk by. A little rundown but decent. At least to Riku's standards.

"We're here."

Riku looked at where Sora was. Sora was on top of some steps in front of a small apartment building. Sora took out what seems to be keys, in order to open the front door. The front door was simple, with a glass interior in a rectangular shape and the molding around the glass was in cursive shape in a repeated pattern, making it seem sophisticated. The wood of the door was paint black but it seems that the paint was wearing off, probably being left there for as years pass by, not being repainted. Sora motioned Riku to come in as he opened the door and Riku followed. As Riku walked in, he was trying to find an elevator or least some kind of door that indicated it was an elevator but he just couldn't tell with all the doors looking the same.

"Where's the elevator?' Riku asked as he saw Sora walking up the narrow stairs on the corner.

"There's no elevator, silly." Sora answered to Riku's question. "We have to walk up the stairs. Don't worry. I only live at the 3rd floor."

'Great. I'm already tired of walking.'

Riku followed Sora up the stairs to the floor where he lives. The stairs were narrow and the apartment doors were crowded next to each other. Not too much but it looked that way at a glance.

Sora raced up to the 3rd floor while Riku took his time to walking up. He was observing the surroundings inside this building. The buildings were small and decent but not a place where one can stay forever. Feels like a hostel in a way for Riku. Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn't. Based on his observation, it was a place which has affordable housing for struggling part-time workers or the occasional college students. Riku doesn't want to look much into it though, for he doesn't know anything about this stranger so it's better to leave his observations and questions to himself.

When he reached the third floor, he saw Sora on front of a door, hearing the sound of keys clanging each other. Sora put in a key and opened the door, looking back to see if Riku was there.

"You're pretty slow." said Sora.

"I was looking around. I don't see a problem with that." Riku replied.

"Well, at least you made it." Sora grinned as he entered through the door, leaving it ajar for Riku. Riku slowly walked himself in and closed the door behind him. It was dark inside but when Sora flicked a switch to turn on the light, Riku get to see how the place looked like.

The apartment was small. It was just a room actually. It did fit a description of a hostel room perfectly, with an addition of a small kitchen and a narrow bathroom. It wasn't bad but this type of living condition could be considered tight. Riku can make out the room as a simple cube, with a bed next to the wall and a bookcase in the end of it. There was also a sofa which was its back was against where the window was. So if you were sitting on the sofa and the window was open, you can literally feel the wind on your neck, which could be nice, depending on the situation.

The kitchen was just a few steps away from the sofa and next to the opening to the kitchen was a narrow door which where the bathroom was. In between the bathroom door and the apartment door seem to be a small closet. Everything about this place screams small and tight, whether it was on purpose or not.

"I'm guessing that you are trying to observe my place since you're so quiet." Sora said as he removed his coat and hanged it on the wall, straighten his red long-sleeve turtle neck.

"Your place is small. Not that it's bad but...it's just small." Riku said as he began to remove his coat and scarf but hold on to it, not knowing where to put it.

"Let me take that. And yeah, I know it's small but it sure beats being outside, right?" Sora smiled as he hanged Riku's stuff.

Riku didn't say anything. He just sat gently on the sofa, not sure if he was allowed to since he was at a stranger's place.

"I still can't believe I agreed to this. Sleeping at a stranger's place...how low can I go?"

"Hey,Riku. Do you want something to sleep on? I have some clothes but I'm not sure if they will fit you."

"I'll sleep in the clothes I'm wearing."

"Oh,ok. Do you want to use the bed? I'm can use the sofa."

"No thank you. Besides, I'm the guest here so I'll use the sofa. I don't know what game you're playing but I will not use the bed. It's strange to do that...especially if it belongs to someone I don't know."

Sora didn't say anything. He stared at Riku with a hurt face but that soon changed with a replace of a smile.

"OK. Ummm...anyway, I'll soon get sheets and a pillow for you to sleep in. I don't have much but hope it's satisfying."

"Thanks."

Sora went to the bathroom as Riku made himself comfortable. He took off his boots and put them on the side. The sofa was small but Riku really wanted to sleep so he ignored the bothersome fact. He saw Sora come out from the bathroom with pajamas, a long sleeve blue shirt and white long pants. He hung the clothes he had on his arm on the wall, went quickly to the closet to get sheets and a pillow. He handed it to Riku then soon walked to his bed. He looked at Riku before he was about to turn off the light.

"Well, I guess this is good night, Riku." Sora smiled and turned off the light.

Riku didn't say anything. Riku didn't do anything. He couldn't sleep at all. He didn't know that if this strange guy will do something to him if he fell asleep. Or if Sora was afraid that Riku will do something to him. But then Sora wouldn't have invited him to his place.

Still, Riku couldn't figure out what was actually happening. How did it all come to this? Why does he have to be involved in this type of situation? Riku continuously thought throughout the endless night, wondering, if the night did end, what waits for him and Sora in the daytime.


	2. Chapter 2

**December 25, Christmas Day**

He didn't sleep. He couldn't sleep. It's funny that he felt so tired and wanted to sleep so badly but he just couldn't for some reason.

Maybe it was the temperature. Maybe it was because the sofa was too small for his height. Maybe it's because he was sleeping at a stranger's place.

The reason wasn't clear.

He did pretend to sleep though. You know, having your eyes closed and breathing in a steady pace. He never opened his eyes for one second. He just pretended to sleep while trying to actually sleep but he was just thinking too much. Way too much.

"This sofa is so uncomfortable."

"Why the hell am I here?"

"Who the hell does he think he is?"

"Why did I decided to go?"

"Why did I go to the park?"

"I feel stupid."

"Everyone is stupid."

"What's that smell?"

"Smells...funny. Smells like...dough...fried...or baked? What the hell?"

Riku slowly opened his eyes to see the room in bright light. It was morning. The light bothered his eyes, making him squint. He slowly got up from lying on the sofa to sit up and stretched out his body.

"So much for a good night sleep."

"Good morning."

Riku turned his head to where he heard the voice. He saw Sora, in his pajamas at the small kitchen, cooking something.

"So it wasn't a dream. This nightmare is real. Goddamn it..."

"How did you sleep, Riku?"

"Uh...terrible..."

"What's wrong? You looked shocked."

Riku stood up and stretched his body out even more, feeling his body tensed and tight from the condition he had to slept in. As he walked towards the kitchen to sit in a chair of a small round table, placed in the middle of the small kitchen, he talked.

"I just can't believe that this nightmare is real. I thought this whole thing was a bad dream but I can clearly see that you're real enough."

"Boy, you sure are cranky in the morning." Sora chuckled as he returned to the stove of whatever he was cooking.

"Dear god, help me. And what the hell are you cooking? It smells like dough."

"How in the world do you remember how dough smells like?" Sora laughed.

"What the hell are you cooking?" Riku was getting frustrated of Sora's silliness, still not believing that this whole thing is actually happening.

"Here. Eat up. I made it myself."

Riku didn't notice that Sora placed a plate right on front of him, of whatever he was cooking. Riku stared at it.

"Pancakes?"

"Yes, Riku. That is how a pancake looks like. So eat up. You must be hungry."

Sora sat across from Riku with his plate of pancakes and as he began to eat, he notice that Riku kept staring at his plate, not touching it.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You keep staring at your plate. Is there something wrong?"

"I'm just thinking of what the hell you could've put in this...food."

"You're so paranoid."

"Shut up."

"If I wanted to, let's say 'poison you', I would have done it at the restaurant or offered you something before we went to sleep. But I didn't and I'm not doing that sort of thing now or ever. So just eat up,… jerk."

Riku glared at Sora before he took one pancake by hand and took a bite. He chewed one at a time to fully taste what was in his mouth. He soon becomes annoyed by Sora's staring at him with a curious face.

"So...how is it?"

"It's..."

"yes?"

"...not cooked well." Riku swallowed.

"What?"

"I said it's not cooked well. Can't you hear? And where in the world did you learn to make pancakes?"

"Hey! I tried, ok? I think it's fine. And at least I was nice enough to cook something for the both of us."

"Whatever." Riku stood up from the chair and walked back to the sofa with his plate, trying to ignore Sora.

"Hey, where are you going? And I thought you didn't like the pancakes!"

"I said they are not cooked well. I didn't say they weren't edible. I just have to ignore the fact that it was made by you. And don't get pissed. I'm like 5 feet away the table AND you can still see me so I don't see what the problem is."

"Sitting together at a table is more meaningful."

"I don't think so. Besides, we're both strangers. There is nothing meaningful between us."

Riku continued to eat from his plate, concentrating to stare at a wall to avoid eye contact from Sora, while Sora still sat at the table, finishing his plate. Riku doesn't understand what Sora was trying to do and doesn't see what he will gain from it. They were both strangers. That was a fact and always will be. Talking and hanging out with a stranger neither helps him nor Sora so why was he still trying? Why he wants to try to make some connection with Riku? What does Sora see in Riku that Riku doesn't even see in himself?

"Are you finished, Riku?" Sora asked, walking towards Riku.

"Huh?Oh..."Riku handed the plate to Sora and watched Sora walk to the sink in the kitchen as he still sat at the sofa.

"Do you have anything to do today?" Riku asked.

"No. I'm off from work for about a week or so. You know, cause of the holidays..." Sora said out loud while washing the dishes.

"Oh...I forgot about that." said Riku, just annoyed by the word "holidays."

"What about you? Do you work or have something to do today?"Sora asked and he walked to the bed from the kitchen and sat himself down while looking at Riku, waiting for an answer.

"No.I...don't necessarily work. And I don't have anything to do at all. Especially during these stupid days." Riku layed his head back, looking at the ceiling, showing that he was bored.

"May I ask why you're here?"

"Cause you invited me here, idiot." Riku still looking at the ceiling but he can hear Sora loud and clear.

"Let me rephrase the question." Sora laughed to which Riku didn't see what was funny.

"Why you came here, to this town if you live far away? Why were you at the park...alone?"

"You're too nosy. Why you want to know?"

"Cause I'm curious."

"Being curious is bad, not to mention rude."

"You can just say that you don't feel like answering, you know."

"I don't feel like answering."

"Ok then. Now, was that so hard?"

Riku lifted his head to look at Sora, who was grinning like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland but in a naive sense, not in a creepy way.

"OK. May I ask why YOU were at the park yesterday?'

"No."

"Wha-why not?"

"Cause I don't feel like it." Sora just sat there and smiled as he sees Riku getting pissed off which was sort of funny for him.

"Fine. I see what you are doing. You are playing a game."

"However you want to see it as. It's still funny to me."

"Whatever...ummmmm..."

"Huh? What is it?" Sora looked at Riku confused. Riku looked like he was struggling of what he was going to say. Riku kept looking around the room, Like he was trying find something.

"Do you..."

"Yes?"

"...have a television?"

His eyes blinking in confusion, it took Sora a while to register in his head what Riku just asked. Sora sighed as he replied back.

"No. I don't. Why you ask?"

"Cause I'm bored. Why don't you have one?'

"Cause I can't afford one. What, you like watching television?"

"Not really. It's stupid. Mindless and meaningless TV shows and programming. The only reason I asked it's because I'm bored."

"Oh...I see."

Sora was disappointed. He looked at his hands, which turned into fists, on his knees. He thought Riku was going to ask a meaningful question but he should've had known that it was this type of question, a question that a jerk will ask.

"You're a reader?"

"Huh?"

Sora looked up and sees Riku staring at the book case next to the sofa, one of his hands touching the spine of each book lined up in each shelf in a delicate way.

"Not really."

"So how come you have so many books?"

"I don't know. The people in this building always throw out books and it saddens me that a book is being thrown out. It's like throwing imagination and creativity. I always like to look at books they are giving away at the library too. Sadly, I'm not a reader. But it's nice that people think I'm a reader because I have so many books. Make me feel special or something." Sora said which soon a giggle came after.

"That's sort of misleading, don't you think?"

"Not really. It's people's fault for always assuming things based on objects and surroundings."

"Yeah...I guess. Mind if I read one?"

"N-No! Of course you can read one! Go ahead!"

"You sound excited."

"OH!um...sorry. I didn't mean that. I just don't want you to be bored."

"Whatever."

Riku picked out a book and opened it while having one arm on the sofa arm and the other holding the book. He pushed his hair back to keep it out of the way from reading. He noticed Sora staring but he ignored it.

"You're a reader?"

"Yes."

"You like it?"

"I guess. Keeps me occupied."

"I see."

Sora got up from sitting on the bed and stretched his body as he went to get his coat hanging from the wall.

"Do you want anything from outside? You're my guest. I want you to be satisfied."

"No. I'm ok. But are you sure you want to leave me alone here? I'm still a complete stranger. And I'm not exactly trustworthy."

"I know but you seem really into that book so I think you won't do anything. I'll come back in half an hour or so, ok?"

Riku stayed quiet as he heard Sora leave and shut the door. Riku just sit at the sofa the whole time, reading the book he picked from Sora's bookshelf, the day passing by him unnoticed. He didn't stop when he heard Sora come back from wherever he went to. He occasionally answered some of Sora's questions when he was cooking at the kitchen but he never stopped reading.

Later on, he took a break and he and Sora ate dinner together, with Riku complaining of Sora's cooking and Sora's outbursts of Riku being a jerk. After that, they were up for a while, with Riku reading and Sora drawing or something, Riku didn't pay attention. Then they went to sleep. That was the whole day. Riku was still at a stranger's place and having to going on with this for who knows how long. But like the night before, Riku couldn't sleep. Why? Who knows...


	3. Chapter 3

**December 27**

"I can not believe that I'm still here."

That was what first came to Riku's mind when he woke up from the exact same sofa he had slept on the night before. He woke up, slowly opening his eyes and recognizes the room that he had been in for the past 2 days. He remembered the structure, the color and the feeling of the room. The reasons to why he was here in the first place had hit him like the cold air of a misty morning.

It was all because of that guy.

Riku lifted his head from the arm of the sofa to look at the kitchen and frowned.

"And speak of the devil, there he is."

Sora was on front of the stove, in his pajamas, a long sleeve blue shirt and white pants. His back was facing Riku and he began to open the kitchen cabinet above him, pulling out two small white bowls. He set the bowls aside on the kitchen counter near the stove and opened a drawer on his right to pull out two silver spoons. He turned his head just at that moment and saw Riku. Their eyes locked, not lasting past at least half a second.

Riku quickly put his head down at the arm of the sofa as soon as their eye came in contact. But he knew he wasn't going to fool anyone. Sora knew he was awake now.

"Good morning, Riku." There was calm presence in Sora's voice but it had no effect in Riku.

Riku lifted himself up from the sofa and sat there, elbows on his knees and his head facing down. Slow circular movementsts on his neck soon traveled down to his shoulders as so forth, concentrating on his body to come out from tiredness. A crack or two can be heard.

"Hey" Riku simply replied.

"How did you sleep?"

Riku looked at Sora, not directly at his eyes but enough to see his face.

"Well, that is so nice for you to ask. If you must know, I slept great the night before so I might've slept wonderful last night too."

"Ok, fine. I get it. You slept terrible. You could've just said it." Sora made it clear that he can also be sarcastic, which was definitely noticed in his tone.

"Anyway, I made breakfast."

"I could've guessed that." Said Riku.

"Well, you didn't say anything."

Silence soon followed. It was uneasy, only the sounds of whatever Sora was cooking could be heard in the background.

Riku got up and stretched his body, getting away the tensions he had on his muscles after sleeping very uncomfortably for the past few days. "I feel so old doing this," thought Riku.

He continued stretching, arms over his head as he walked slowly to the kitchen and took his seat on the table, moving the seat with his foot while his arms were occupied. He didn't even bother looking at Sora who was coming over. Sora brought over the two white bowls to the table, placing them gently with the quick accompaniment of a silver spoon. He then took his seat across from Riku on the small round table. Riku stared at the content in the bowl as Sora began to eat.

"Oatmeal?" asked Riku.

"Yeah." Sora replied.

'Why oatmeal?" Riku started to taste bits of his food.

"Well, it's good for you and easy to make. Plus, who wouldn't want warm oatmeal on a cold winter morning?"

"It's too thick and hardly any flavor." Despite his statement, Riku still ate the food, occasionally stirring it, the spoon clanging against the bowl, as if it would change into something better on front of his eyes

"Well," Sora sighed, "maybe you should try cooking for yourself then. I get nothing but complaints from you." There was a small hint of annoyance but the effort to stay clam definitely tried to erase it. This didn't pass by Riku so easily. He caught it spot on, earning a smirk on his face.

"More like advice." Riku finished quickly and stood up to go to the kitchen sink. "Plus I'm lazy."

"Tell me about it." Sora mumbled under his breath, followed by a bite of his meal and hearing a rush of water.

"Oh come on, you love the attention."

"Excuse me?"

Sora turned to look at Riku,who was leaning against the sink casually with a cup on his hand. Riku smirked and stared at Sora, trying to make him uncomfortable but Sora wasn't going to lose focus. Not to an asshole like Riku.

"What do you mean by that?"

"You seriously go to pull that act on me?" Riku furrowed his brows.

"What act?"

"That act. The 'I'm innocent and you annoy me but I secretly crave the attention' act."

"I am not craving for attention!"

"See? You are really good at it." Riku just smirked as he took a sip from his cup, watching the various changes of Sora's facial expressions, which end on somewhere near the borderline of irritation and being perplex.

"You know what?" Sora stood and walked quickly to the sink next to Riku to drop off, or more like tossing, his bowl in it and walked to the other room.

"What?"

Riku followed Sora to the room, who didn't give a reply to his question. Riku's overall presence, him standing there, watching Sora open the closet door and go through the occupation of what he was doing, ended up the conclusion that was clearly being ignored.

"You know the silent treatment means I win, right?" Riku said in monotone.

"Whatever" was the assumed muffle barely heard from the closet.

"What are you doing anyway?"

"Looking for clothes to wear." Another muffle, assuming this was what Sora said.

"For what?"

"To go out…," A pause followed when Sora came out, with some articles of clothing on his arms. He stared at Riku, finishing his sentence.

"Shopping."

"Shopping?" One eyebrow was raised in confusion.

"Yes. Grocery shopping. Apparently, I just realize I barely have anything to eat here. Might as well shop today. I'll be back for in a while." Sora made sure to emphasize parts of his sentence, in reference to Riku behind his reasoning to do this errand.

"Don't need to. I'll tag along."

"Why?"

"Because it is boring as hell here and I need to entertain myself. You can't expect me to sit here and read all day or try to find something along the grasps of my judgment towards your living quarters. That will make me a terrible guest and likewise, make you a terrible host."

"Excuse me?"

"Forget it." Followed by a sigh, Riku quickly grabbed his coat along with the necessary accessories as he walked towards the door.

"I'll wait outside."

"Wait! What do you me-"

Riku didn't hear the rest of what Sora was saying as the door shut behind behind him, hearing the hard thump of its closure. He took his time putting on his coat, adjusting the scarf around his neck and tying his boots tight on the narrow hallway while waiting for the boy inside the small apartment.

"God, how long have I been here? Like…3 days? Damn…" Riku thought, leaning his back against the wall near the apartment door and looking up at the ceiling.

"Why am I here? What am I doing here? What purpose do I have?" The thoughts ran through his mind, one after the other. An answer never appeared, never given. Was it just an impulse? A gut feeling?

"Are you done yet!" Riku said loudly, in attempt to interrupt the invading thoughts so he can clear his mind.

He heard the door open and shut quickly, accompanying along the sounds of keys clanging and the clicks from the locks.

"Geesh, ever heard of patience?" Riku heard Sora panting faintly, probably from getting dressed up quickly to catch up with Riku, which was a possibility. However, Riku actually waited.

"The question is…why I waited?"

"Yes, because I will definitely have patience with you." Riku watched Sora turn the final lock on the door.

"Haha, funny." Sora passed by Riku to walk down the stairs, soon followed by heavy footsteps behind him.

The cold air hit them both when leaving the building's front door, greeted with the gentle sunlight of the early winter morning. The evenness of light and shadows was present along the streets, with the occasional glistening of some untouched snow. On the scene were few people here and there, some walking their pets, some walking with kids but most noticeable, the two males, strangers, walking side by side, leaving their shoeprints behind on a disturbed pathway of snow.

"So…where are we going?" The white haired boy muffled under his black scarf.

"I told you, we are grocery shopping. There is a supermarket ahead, not too far." The spiky brown haired boy alongside him answered.

Silence took its place again, just like it did when they left the building and walked on the snowed covered streets, walking along side by side in the cold.

They finally reached their destination, a small supermarket on the corner of the street, opening its sliding doors as they enter and lightly stomped their boots to get rid of the wet mush on it. Just like any other supermarket, it had its aisles and a few customers walking in between them. It still had holiday decoration around, much to Riku's annoyance but light soft rock was playing as background music, blending in with some customers' chatter. The disappearance of happy, cheery holiday music was a relief to Riku's ears.

"So what are we…doing?" Riku looked on his side to notice that Sora has gone to do whatever he needed to do, walking away from him with a basket at hand. Riku was too occupied with his observations to realize such action had happened.

"The nerve…" Riku mumbled, loosening his scarf and ruffling some snow off his hair as he walked down one of the aisles, continuing his observations, with the products this time.

"Some of these are really unhealthy. How can people eat these?"

Riku wasn't a picky eater per se. Once in a while, he was just curious about what he was going to bring into his body when it came to food. This simple curiosity led to his occasional habit of looking and reading the nutritional information, a rather unimportant task to most people. Preoccupied on what he was doing, he didn't notice the familiar presence of a spiked haired boy.

"What are you looking at?" Sora asked, leaning in to see what Riku was holding.

"Some instant crap. Looks really unhealthy. I can't believe people actually buy this stuff." Riku said in an expression of disgust.

"Well, some people can't afford fancy food I guess." Sora replied.

"Do you buy this crap?" Riku looked at Sora while placing the product back on the shelf.

"No, not really. Well, sometimes I guess, if it tastes okay." Sora walked along the aisle and stop to what seemed to be the baking goods section.

"Even if it tastes okay, it is still unhealthy." Riku said, following Sora.

"What do you have anyway?" Riku looked and picked something out of random from Sora's basket.

"Hey!" Sora replied in shock.

"Calm down. I am just looking. Mac and Cheese?"

"Well, I like how it tastes. Plus it is easy and quick to make when I get home late from work. So don't judge, asshole." Sora lowered his basket to the ground and reach out his hand above to get something.

"Whatever." Riku put the product back in the basket and stood for a while, looking at Sora who was still trying to reach some cookie mix bag on the top shelf. Even slowly going on his toes, he wasn't able to reach high enough. Riku stretched his arm, grabbing the item with ease and handing it over to Sora, who took it gently.

"Um…thanks." Sora said in a calm tone.

"Well, you should've asked for my help. Of course you can't that, when you are so short."

"I am not short! It takes skills to do this, not based on height." Annoyed, Sora placed the item on the basket as he took it off the floor.

"Skills? Yeah right." Riku soon heard some giggles behind him. He turned his head to look over, seeing two girls, around their late teens, slightly giggling and quickly avoiding eye contact with the two males, going back to looking on the shelves.

"What the hell they are giggling about?" Riku looked back Sora who quickly glanced over to the girls and back to Riku.

"I don't know." Sora said calmly.

Riku ignored the comment and walked down the aisle. Sora soon followed him, passing the girls who were still giggling, despite their attempt to stop. Sora couldn't really hear what they were saying behind their giggles. In addition with the radio in the background and the squeaks on the floor from wet boots walking on it, it didn't make it any easier. Yet, he did get to hear one thing one of the girls told the other in a low tone as he passed by to catch up with Riku.

"They are a cute pair, aren't they?"

Sora slowly stopped, hearing the footsteps behind him fading away. He felt a faint heat grow on his cheeks, followed by a slight shiver on his neck. "A cute pair…?" Sora thought, feeling the heat deepen. "I think I know what they were giggling about." The thought made Sora's face heat up, despite his mental attempt to make it disappear.

"Are you done with shopping?"

Sora didn't notice Riku standing on front of him, dropping some things into the basket. It didn't matter to Sora but at least he was snapped out of the embarrassing thought that was lingering his mind not too long ago.

"Huh?"

"I said, are you done with shopping?"

"Oh, yeah, I guess I am." Sora purposely tried to avoid eye contact with the white haired boy.

"Why are you blushing?"

"I just feel hot. Some employee must've turned up the heat in here." Sora still didn't attempt to look at Riku, especially since he was noticed of his current condition.

"Well, let's go then. I don't want to be responsible when you faint or something from heat exhaust. It really doesn't make sense for that to happen during the winter."

"Yeah, you're right."

Riku questioned Sora's calm statement but quickly tossed it aside, walking towards the cash registers with Sora behind him.

The items were laid on front of the cashier, each one scanned with a beep and its price appearing on the screen. Sora noticed the addition of some items he didn't instead to buy but he ignored it as he was going through his wallet, with Riku waiting on the side, observing as usual. The cashier, a young woman, was bagging the items and had a few glances at Riku, in which he have noticed, while putting the final total at the screen.

"Ok. That will be 56 dollars and 34 cents." Said the cashier with a smile on her face. Obliviously fake in Riku's opinion.

"Oh." Sora was repeatedly going through his wallet. He sensed that the cashier was growing impatience.

"Um…do you mind watching these? I just need to go the ATM across the street." Sora asked Riku who just shrugged.

"I'm sorry. I don't have enough to pay. I'll be back in a minute." Sora told the cashier and soon after, he ran out the supermarket.

"I hope he doesn't take too long." The cashier said which seemed to be directed at Riku. He didn't want to get stuck in a conversation with a cashier while waiting for something Sora should've been prepared for. Then again, he probably was at fault too. Part of the total was based on what he put on the basket. Riku reached his coat pocket and opened his wallet.

"Here. I'm paying for it." Riku handed a 100 dollar bill to the cashier's hand from his black gloved one.

"But-"

"I'm paying for it." Riku cut off the cashier as he grabbed for the bags. He heard the ding of the cash register as he carried the bags with him outside, hearing the cahier calling for him.

"You forgot your change!"

Riku simply said loudly, "Keep it," and he was out the door into the cold air.

He saw Sora running back, crossing the road, going towards him where he was waiting under the supermarket's awning.

Sora was catching his breath and gave Riku a perplexed look.

"How did you get out with the bags?" He asked.

"Flirtation and some romantic crap can get any woman on her knees." Riku simply replied, handing Sora some bags.

"You flirted with her?"

"Sure. It was easy. Told her to be easy on you or whatever."

"Oh. But should at least pay for this stuff."

"It is on her so shut up and let's go. I'm freezing out here."

Riku walked and Sora followed. Sora didn't question Riku and neither did Riku on Sora. Silenece filled between then as they walked back to Sora's apartment. It was still alien to Riku, this pathway to go to some stranger's home in which he had been for 3 days now. Yet, he questioned to himself this bit of familiarity he felt, as if this pathway, the accompaniment of this stranger adapted into being comfortable and assumed normality. Why did he feel this after a short time? Did this level usually occur when the time of weeks, months and even years pass by?

He recognized the street to the building they were about to enter. He took steps on the narrow stairs, in place of an absent elevator, counting the floors as he went up following a complete stranger he knew from a few days ago. He ended up with the same door he slept behind for the past nights and guessing that tonight will be an addition to it.

"Thank you for joining." Sora said looking at Riku's face as he opened the last lock to open the apartment door.

"You know, for shopping." Sora grabbed his bags and entered, taking off his boots with his feet and taking the bags to the kitchen.

"Whatever." Riku said, not caring if Sora heard him or not. He enter the apartment and closed the door.


	4. Chapter 4

**December 31**

"_A week," _was the simple sentence that kept repeating in Riku's mind, over and over again, seeming there was no end.

Since the day Riku accepted an invitation from a stranger, inviting him to their home, Riku had stayed there for almost a week. He had many an opportunity to leave. He wasn't held hostage. He wasn't threatened against his own will. He was capable of giving his thanks and leave through the door, leaving behind all of this annoyance.

Yet, he didn't

He still woke up from the same sofa, having unwanted eye contact with the owner of the place, making the complaints of the owner's cooking, finding ways to get rid of his boredom and repeat. On the other hand, nothing tried to stop this routine. No force or suggestion of him to leave ever came. So Riku wasn't at complete fault.

The 31st of December. The last day of the year before a new one arrives. And Riku is spending it in a territory that is not his own.

"Do you want to do something today?" Sora asked Riku from the kitchen, washing the dishes from their breakfast he cooked for both, which obviously didn't meet up to Riku's satisfaction.

Riku heard what Sora said from his seat on the sofa, making his head turn away from the book he had on his hand, borrowed from the bookcase nearby.

"What do you mean?" He simply replied.

"You know…it is the last day before the New Year. Try to do something new, finish something up…that kind of thing." Rushing water was cut at the end of Sora's sentence.

"I am not interested in that type of thing." Riku returned to reading, flipping a page.

"Oh come on! You can't expect to stay here and do nothing! You have been doing that for the past few days!" Sora said in frustration.

"What are you mad about? I don't want to do anything. And it is not like I am bothering you or anything so what is it to you?" His eyes never left from reading the current page on his hand.

"You are making my eyes sore." Sora said, snatching the book out of Riku's hand, getting a reaction from the said male.

"What the hell?" His green eyes meet the other's blue ones in piercing eye contact.

"At least take a walk. Get a breath of fresh air."

"Again, what is it to you?" Riku made sure to emphasize what he said with the annoyance he is currently feeling.

"Just advice for your will being. It is depressing just sitting there." Sora cut the eye contact, walking away towards the bathroom.

"You want me out of here?" Riku said loudly, standing up from the sofa.

"At least for an hour. I have to do something anyway." Sora replied in a muffle, assuming the he was brushing his teeth based on the sounds heard.

"Whatever, idiot." Riku grabbed his coat and walked over his boot, putting his feet in them as he walked towards the door. He took a quick glance as he passed by the open bathroom door. Sora turned on time, staring, in the same pajamas he had days before. He wanted to say something but Riku didn't let him. He quickly left through the apartment door, slamming it with light force.

He adjusted his coat as he walked down the stairs. He stopped to tie his boots tight after leaving through the building's front door and as he finished, he just stood there at the steps, thinking.

"_Crap, I don't even have a plan of what to do."_

Riku sat at the steps for a while, feeling the numbness from the cold icy steps hitting his ass. He ignored it though. He didn't care.

The day was still within the hours of morning, soon entering noon. The sun shined through the gray clouds above and the snow was still present on the streets, just like the day before and the days before that. And a white haired male sat at this cement steps in this scene.

His eyes looked around, staring at a couple that passed by walking their dog, looking at random windows on the buildings on front of him and so forth. He ignored the cold and his mind was a blank.

"_I need to change my boots." _Riku thought, staring at the scuffs made from walking through the snow. The discoloration bugged him, along with the seams of his pants that covered over the tying of his boots.

"_I have been wearing the same clothes for the past few days…how can I not notice this?" _Riku made a face of disgusted as he slowly stood up, his ass still cold from sitting at the steps.

"_Now I feel uncomfortable…uh!...I wonder…if there is anything around here?" _Riku just let his feet wonder, taking him to who knows. Coincidently, his feet dragged him to what seemed to be a small shopping area nearby, with two or three stores and others.

Riku had his eyes on one of those stores, a popular clothing stores he had seen ads on television. He entered, hearing pop music playing softly in the background. He casually walked around, not too many people in the store. He went to the men's section, looking through where the jeans were, walking up to a shelf and having his hands running to fill the fabric on a pair of black ones.

"_So this is where most people buy their clothes…not so bad, a little rough though." _Riku's eyes looked up to see the price tag, bold letters saying "ON SALE! $19.99"

Riku took a few jeans from the shelf, some black and dark blue of the slim fit and let it hang on his arm as he continued to wonder around. He picked some casual t-shirts, mostly plain dark colors but a few with interesting graphics, in which Riku can't recall wearing this type of clothing before. He saw some turtlenecks, socks and some fitting black briefs and picked them up on the way, with some giggling from some girls that kept looking at him as he passed.

"_What is with the giggling? Have they ever seen a man shop before? So immature…"_ Riku ignored the giggling as he saw the cashiers a few feet away and walked towards them. He went towards an open cashier by random, one with a young man behind the register. Riku was dumbstruck for a moment; he thought the cashier was Sora, at least at first glance. The hair was a lighter color and less spiky, through the cashier did have a baby face like Sora. Riku could've still mistaken the cashier as Sora from a glance or afar if it wasn't for the tag on the cashier's shirt that said "Roaxs."

"Um sir? Are you ready?" The voice from the cashier made Riku snap out of thought and immediately put the clothes on his arms on front of the cashier.

"I'm sorry. You just look like someone." Riku said, almost in a mumble.

"Oh, a friend?" Roxas said as he scanned the price tags of each item.

"Hardly. More like a brat." Riku replied

"Oh. Sorry to hear that. Ok, so your total is $112.35."

"Here." Riku took out his wallet and handed Roxas a card he took out.

"Are there any fitting rooms around here?" Riku asked while Roxas processed the card through the register.

"Yes. It is down on the right from here. You will notice the sign leading to the rooms. But didn't you already try these clothes though?" Roxas begins to bag the items on front of Riku.

"No, I am planning on wearing them out. I think I am allowed to wear the clothes I just brought, am I?"

"Um, I think so. Well, anyway, thank you for shopping at our store and have a good day."

Riku grabbed the shopping bags and headed to the fitting rooms, only saw a glance of the cashier's smile before making his leave.

"_Hypocritical."_

His judgment of Roxas's smile left quickly as he entered the fitting rooms and occupied one of the fitting stalls. He changed out of his clothes and put on his newly bought clothes, from top to bottom. He looked at himself at the mirror that was at the stall as straighten the t-shirt he put on.

A pale male with slim fitting dark blue jeans and a solid black t-shirt, neither too tight nor loose was his reflection.

"It's fine, I guess. It will do." Riku was used to wearing dark colors, as he just can't imagine himself adapting to wearing colors anytime soon.

Riku left the store with the bags at hand. He felt a little more comfortable now that he is not in clothes he had worn for a week straight. The thought give him a slight shiver.

He soon wandered around, randomly going to wherever his body took him. He looked around the streets, passing by people without a care in the world. He looked at windows of small stores, with holiday decoration still intact. He didn't know what he was doing or where exactly he wanted to go but he knew that it felt out of place to him either way. Nothing satisfied him.

Church bells were heard in a distance, the sounds catching Riku's ears. He stood still at a corner of the street, to hear the church bells' ringing.

"_I must be near a church..._" he thought.

Dong...

"One..." Riku silently whispered, seeing his breath turn into white cold mist.

Dong...

"...Two..." He felt his breath going shallower, his eyes losing focus.

Dong...

"...Three..."

Silence soon followed and Riku slowly came back to his senses, still hearing the sounds of the church bells echoing in his head.

"It is three o'clock...already?" Riku didn't expect the day to have passed by for him quickly. Nor did he expect to hear the sound of bells to remind him of something that he left behind.

"I need to break that habit."

Riku continued to walk, unconscious of where exactly. His mind was occupied with thoughts and memories he wanted to forget, not worth remembering to him. He snapped out of his thoughts when something flashing caught the corner of his eye. He stopped to see where the light was coming from. He was near a laundromat, its neon sign flashing its colors, giving him a headache.

"Maybe I should clean my clothes." He said to himself as he looked at the bag on his hand.

"Kind of disgusting carrying it around." He again said to himself.

He walked in, hearing the sounds of machines running, seeing clothes twirling around inside. Dryers on one side, washers on the others, with a line of chairs along the middle. It looked like he was the only person there, besides the person behind the desk further down, who noticed Riku coming in.

"Hello! Can I help you?" The person yelled out, a feminine voice.

"Um…I guess." Riku replied as he walked towards the person.

"What you need help with?"

As Riku got closer, he noticed more about the person. A female, probably around her early 20s, wearing an orange shirt, and having a long brown hair, only being curled up on the sides.

"What do I do?" Riku simply replied.

"What do you mean?" She replied with a giggle.

"I mean I need to clean my clothes." Riku responded.

"You don't know how to clean your own clothes?" She made a shocked look, followed by a giggle.

"Is that a problem?" Riku was obviously getting annoyed.

"Oh no! I just think it is cute, especially from an attractive guy like you." She smiled at him.

"_Oh great…she's flirting with me."_ Riku thought.

"I'm Olette by the way. Nice to meet you." She took the bag from Riku's hand and checked inside.

"Um, Riku. Likewise, I guess." He just looked at her.

"Such a gentlemen." She smiled but he couldn't tell if she actually meant that or if she was being sarcastic. No matter, Riku simply replied "Whatever."

Riku soon sat down, on one of the seats in between the machines, facing the washing machine with his clothes currently cycling around. He just continued to stare, his mind too occupied to notice calling his name.

"Riku?"

Riku finally heard and when he turned his head, he saw Sora, holding a basket with clothes on front of him.

"What are you doing here?" Riku asked.

"I can ask you the same." Sora put the basket on the one of the chairs near Riku, taking off his coat, revealing a long sleeve red t-shirt and jeans.

"I needed to wash my clothes." Riku returned his focus to the machine.

"What do you know? So do I." Sora went to a washing machine and started to put clothes in from the basket.

"I don't appreciate the sarcasm." Riku said, without moving an inch.

"I wasn't being sarcastic." Sora sat near Riku, an empty chair separating the two.

Riku didn't answer back and Sora didn't pressure him to. They were both silent for a while, the silence getting a little uncomfortable for Sora. As for Riku, no one can tell.

Sora decided to break it. "So…I guess your walk went well?"

"What makes you say that?" Riku's tone was monotonous.

"You are still around." Sora replied quickly. Maybe too quickly.

"What? You expect me to disappear?" Riku finally moved his body to lean back against the chair and look at Sora.

"N-no. What I-I meant wa-was…" Sora avoided Riku's glance, stuttering and rubbing his left arm with his right hand.

"Never mind." Sora sighed.

Riku didn't bother to push Sora into saying what he wanted to say in the first place. He didn't care at this point.

"Your clothes are done."

"Huh?" Riku saw that the machine stopped. He got up and started to remove his clothes from the machine, with some struggle of taking it out. Sora decided to help out, noticing Riku's trouble. Riku didn't protest, deciding to keep silent. Sora helped put Riku's clothes in the dryer, giving a lecture of how temperature can have an effect on clothes, to which Riku really didn't give a damn. Time passed by with Sora introducing Riku to the laundromat girl. It seems that Sora and Olette knew each other, exchanging in casual conversation, with Olette giggling most of the time. Of course they tried to include Riku in their conversation but Riku didn't show any interest of wanting to be involved and he rather keep it that way. Before he knew it, both him and Sora were done with their clothes and were leaving the laundromat, with Sora waving goodbye to Olette.

The sunlight was gone. The sky was becoming a dark blue and the street lights were slowly turning on, one by one. The cold air was still present, with Riku seeing his icy breath when breathing.

"So?" Sora approached next to him, with the basket on his side.

"So…what?"

"I guess this is goodbye?"

"Where the hell did that come from?" Riku said, followed by a scoff.

"I don't know. Are you not leaving?"

_Leaving?_ Riku thought. That probably was his original plan to begin with, and he was complaining of being in Sora's for a while.

_But where do I go?_ Did Riku have places to go to? Technically, yes, he does so. Did he like to go to these if he was given the option? Definitely not.

"What gave you that idea?" was all Riku can say to Sora at the moment.

"Well, when you left the apartment, you seem pretty confident. It was like you wanted to leave. Not that you didn't hid that from me."

"I thought you never noticed." Riku said sarcastically.

"Do you have a place to go?" Sora stared at Riku but Riku kept his stance still. He didn't respond to Sora's question. He didn't know whether he didn't have an answer or he couldn't give one, one that Sora might understand.

"You can always come to my place, you know." Sora decided to take Riku's silence as an answer to his question.

"I guess…one more night…couldn't hurt." _I have come this far to sleep at a stranger's place to at least be familiar._

Sora just smiled and started to walk away from the laundromat, probably back to his place in Riku's assumption. Sora did stop for a minute and looked back at Riku, with an expression that he wanted to ask something.

"What?" Riku said.

Sora opened his month for a second, then closed it. Then he tried again.

"Nothing." Sora returned to walking, and Riku followed behind him.

They walked side by side the whole way to the apartment building. A few people passing by, cheering and dressing up. The cheers grew distant, echoing in the streets of the neighborhood.

"Riku?"

"What?" RIku asked as Sora was getting his keys to open the building's front door. Sora turned to him and smiled.

"Happy New Year." Sora slowly opened the front door to enter.

_It is not even 9 o' clock. _Riku thought but he didn't have the energy to argue about it.

"Likewise." Riku said as he followed Sora up the stairs, not knowing whether Sora heard him or not.


	5. Chapter 5

**January 1, The New year**

Waking up to the sunlight hurting his eyes, it was a familiarity Riku had grown to know. With the sense of where he was, where he slept, what he saw and smell, it was a puzzle that was closely coming together to create this familiarity, despite with his belief that there wasn't a puzzle to begin with.

He looked up at the ceiling, a very plain ceiling. No marks, No stains, no decay. He continues to stare while hearing sounds in the backgrounds, sounds that he can be completely sure where they were coming from.

It was morning.

Or was it noon? Riku couldn't tell.

He was lost in his own mind while being still. Sora was in the kitchen, probably cooking. Riku didn't make the effort to find out.

"You should eat."

And just, for the sake of coincidence, Riku's stomach growled.

_Fuck. _Riku thought.

He put over his arm over his eyes, blocking all things on front of him. He was growing tired of seeing things, not able to comprehend what had been happenings for the past few days.

He heard footsteps coming by, followed by a poke on his arm.

He lifted his arm, just a bit, to peek out from his right eye. Sora was there, crouching, and his face in eye level with his.

"You should eat."

"I am not going to be happy, especially with the way you cook." Riku replied.

"Well, it is better to have something in your stomach than nothings at all." At that, Sora got up and started to walk away.

Riku continued to stare from his peeking eye, seeing Sora going to the kitchen, then disappearing from his eyesight soon after. He made to effort to get up from the sofa, followed by mumbles of complaints. He sat near the kitchen table, accompanying Sora who was already eating a sandwich, leaving one aside for Riku to eat.

"What time is it?" Riku asked.

"It is…almost 3 o'clock." Sora said, pausing for a second to turn his body around to check, what Riku can assume, a clock somewhere.

"You slept pretty long." Sora continued.

Riku didn't answer. He began to eat the sandwich that was left for him.

"Are you exhausted?" Sora asked.

"I don't know." Riku replied monotonously.

"How can you not know?"

"Are you always talkative?"

"Are you always silent?"

"I don't need this shit." Riku got up and went back to the sofa which he left from not even 10 minutes ago.

"I just want to know if you are tired or not." Sora said from where he was sitting.

"It is none of your business." Said Riku without looking at him.

"Oh, and by the way," Riku added, "the bread taste like crap."

"Well, I am glad to hear you liked it." Sora took what was left of the sandwich to throw it out in the garbage and clean the dishes.

Riku disregarded the comment and found his hands wondering along the spine of a book on the bookcase. He felt the book come into his hand and he sat himself on the sofa as his eyes were reading words and his ears listening to the rushing water from the kitchen.

Riku paused his eyes from reading, focusing on a lingering question in his mind.

"Is there a church nearby?" He said out loud.

"Excuse me?" Sora genuinely asked, as he shut off the water from the sink.

"A church. Is there one nearby?" Riku moved away from the book and was staring at Sora.

"Um..." Sora pondered for an answer.

"I think there is one. Not so far from here." Sora replied.

"I see." Riku said as he returned to reading the book on his hand.

"Actually, there is one near the laundromat we were at from yesterday." Sora continued to answer.

Riku simply hummed in response.

"Why you ask?"

Riku didn't reply.

"Riku," Sora asked again, "why you asked?

"I don't know." Riku's eyes never left from reading.

"Are you religious or something?"

"Do I look like the type of person who does that?" Riku faced Sora.

Sora stared for a while, not breaking contact before giving a simple smile and saying, "No."

Riku ignored him, focusing on his thoughts that are running through his head.

_Why did I ask him that?_

_I want to break away from that._

_I want to forget._

The day passed by, with Riku not noticing. The light outside dimming slowly, with the faint sounds of cars and chatter from the streets in the background. The night engulfed the small apartment, one of the two inside sleeping soundly, while the other was kept awake.

Riku's eyes wondered in darkness, catching the little glimpses of light that quickly passes by from the window behind the sofa he sat on. A car passes, abstraction of light appears on the walls, quickly dying and silence took over again.

Many moments, these eyes land on staring on the sleeping stranger on the bed not so far away from him. The same thoughts invaded Riku's head, annoying him over and over.

_Why am I still here?_

His eyes moved towards the door. He can't see the door, the door that leads out from this place. The door was in darkness and there is no indication of its presence but Riku know where it was and where it led to. His long stay made him familiarize where things are, much to his dislike.

_I can just leave. I can just get up and leave. Who cares what Sora thinks? I have been here too long. I need to get out. _

He turned back to face where Sora was.

_What is your reason? Why didn't you make me leave?_

Riku closed his eyes. Breathing slowly, in and out. He became lost in his mind, not knowing who will answer his questions.

_Show me one reason to stay._

Riku didn't know when he fell asleep. He completely lost track.

All he was focused on at the moment was the whispering in his ear. And the poking on his shoulder.

"Riku...Riku..."

_Maybe it will go away._

"Riku...Riku..."

_Go away._

"Riku…"

"...What?" Riku grumbled, not even opening his eyes.

"I have to go. I will come back later."

That was the last thing Riku can remember hearing. At one point, Riku did open his eyes, the sunlight greeting him from the window nearby. Blocking it out with his hand, Riku slowly lifted his body from lying on the sofa. A scratch or two on his eyes, he looked around. There was no noise. No running water, no cooking smell or sounds of feet walking around. Sora wasn't around.

Riku turned to look inside the kitchen. No Sora.

Then he turned towards the door. Nothing.

_Where the fuck did he go?_

_"I have to go. I will come back later."_ This statement quickly came back running into Riku's mind, concluding that this was probably Sora talking to Riku while Riku was sleeping.

_It still doesn't tell where the hell he went._

Riku got up from the sofa, stretched to get rid of the pain on his back. He moved himself towards the kitchen, looking through the cabinets to find something to eat. He did find a box of crackers, somewhat stale but something nonetheless. He found it a bit odd and eery that the only sounds filling the whole apartment was the crunching from the crackers.

His eyes wondered, looking upon different books from the bookcase on the side to the nightstand near the bed, the closet on the other side and so on. The more his eyes wondered, his curiosity started to rise. Riku soon realized his feet were moving towards these objects and his hands touching upon them. The first was the nightstand.

_You shouldn't be doing this. _A thought popped into his head, being in a second person's perspective for some reason.

_I don't give a damn. _Riku replied to that thought as his fingers touched around the edges of the drawer from the nightstand and quickly pulled it out.

Pens, a pocketbook, pieces of candy. Something one would find on a night drawer. It still didn't satisfy Riku.

His eyes wondered to the bed on the side, which just has its sheets and a pillow. Continuing, his eyes stopped at the bookcase near the end of bed. He already looked through what the bookcase held.

_Intro to Physics, Catcher in the Rye, The Little Engine that could._ Riku went through the randomness of this bookcase already, remembering that Sora stated he didn't like the idea of people throwing out books. Thus, the answer of the random books of this bookcase.

His eyes lands on the sofa, moving to the kitchen. His hands going through the cabinets, drawers, nothing but plates and utensils, boxes of food here and there.

Leaving the kitchen, Riku searched for more. He turned to the closet near him, opening it without a second thought.

Some coats and jackets held up by hangers. The shelves filled with pants, jeans and long sleeve t-shirts. Nothing but that. Blankets, pillow, and some bags were just the miscellaneous stuff on the side.

This just bored Riku. He at least expected something interesting to find in a closet.

He went to the bathroom to wash his face from the sink. He needed to refresh himself after getting bored of looking throughout the apartment. After washing his face with cold water, he saw his reflection in the mirror in front of him. He had his hand on the side of the mirror and noticed it was a medicine cabinet, which he didn't notice before. He opened it and, once again, found nothing that interested him. Toothpaste, an empty orange bottle and some dental floss.

_He doesn't even have aspirin. _Riku thought.

_Great, so when I have a headache, I have to suffer. _

He closed the medicine cabinet, looking at himself at the mirror again. He took his left hand to his face, letting his fingers travel through his hair.

He didn't find anything that satisfied him.

_But what was I looking in the first place?_ Even Riku didn't have an answer to that.

Riku brought his body back to where the sofa was, slamming his body into it, lying on his back and staring at the ceiling. He didn't even bother to know what the time was. He just knows that his mind was a blank and his search of whatever he was looking for led nowhere.

_What is wrong with me? _Riku thought.

_Since when did I lose my sense of control? Why the fuck I am still here? Why the fuck can I just go?_

Nothing was answered.

_Am I really that lost? Did I really go that low?_

Still nothing.

_What am I waiting for? I can get out. I should! Fuck it!_

Riku reacted quickly, bring his body up and moving towards to where his coat was, hung conveniently near the apartment door. As soon as his hand grabbed his coat, he heard something drop. He searched to where the sound came from and he noticed what caused it.

A box. A small black box.

The one he was carrying for what it seems so long ago but was only just a week.

He just stared at the small black box, slowly kneeling down, letting his fingers touch it lightly as he dropped his coat on the floor.

_I forgot about you._

His fingers still wandered, fingertips caressing the edges of the small box. He sat on the floor as he brought the box into his hand and stared at it.

In still silence, Riku ignored his surroundings, ignored his senses. His breathing slowed down. His mind clouded with uncertainty.

He soon opened the box, the hedge snapped.

A small gold seashell is what he saw. A pin that he bought.

It shined and reflects Riku's face. But Riku didn't feel anything.

_You were a waste of my time._

At that, he closed the box in a flash and threw across the room, hearing it thump. He didn't care where it landed or if it was broken from his sudden action. He didn't want to know of the item anymore.

He laid his back at the floor, to calm his frustration. He didn't get up from where he was and he didn't attempt to. He stared at the ceiling to calm his mind.

He saw the light change, slowly losing its glow from the day. His back felt the hardness from the floor and he brought his arm over his eyes to cover his sight. He felt numb.

He didn't know when but he heard the click of the door and clinging of keys not so far from him. Footsteps soon followed.

"Riku?"

Riku did not uncover his eyes. He didn't move.

"What are you doing on the floor?" The door was shut and Riku felt some shift of weight on the side on him. Sora was walking past him.

"None of your business." Riku replied.

Sora didn't attempt to continue asking, as he was beginning to become familiar of how Riku replies to questions.

He continues walking to put his stuff away and put down the bags he was carrying. He was walking towards the kitchen until his foot kicked something that went across the floor. He kneeled down to check it out. It was the small black box. He opened it.

"Oh wow." Sora said. Riku can faintly hear that from a distance.

"What a pretty pin."

Those words caught Riku's attention. He jerked his body up quickly, his eyes painfully adjusting to the light from the room. He saw Sora kneeled down with the small black box open on his hand. Riku was on his feet and walked over to Sora. He snitched the black box from Sora's hand.

"Hey!" Riku ignored Sora's outburst. He went to the window behind the sofa, opened it and threw the black box out without a second thought. He slammed the window shut soon after.

"Hey! What is the big deal?" Sora asked in a frustrated tone. Riku didn't reply as he was in a blink stare facing the window, his hand still on the handle.

"Hey! Are you listening? Why you did that?" Sora said.

"It is none of your business." Riku said in a low tone.

"But I was looking at it! You can't just do that and-"

"I said it is none of your business!"

Sora went silent, avoiding eye contact from Riku and stepping back a little.

Riku sighed heavily, letting go of the handle from the window. He still didn't make the effort to look at Sora. He heard small whispers from Sora soon after.

"I'm sorry," Said Sora. "I didn't know it was yours and…I shouldn't ask but I am curious to why you did that?"

Riku turned his head to faced Sora with narrow eyes, in which Sora quickly looked away, apologizing again for his question.

Riku finally spoke after the silence was getting uncomfortable for him.

"Why are you letting me stay here?" Riku said.

"I…don't understand." Sora said in a confuse tone, having the guts to look at Riku again.

"Why didn't you ask me to leave already? I overstayed my…visit." Riku was having a hard time to how to define his stay at Sora's place, not knowing how he felt about it at the moment.

"Was I…suppose to ask you to leave?" Sora said, as he watched Riku get off the sofa and walking away.

"I have been here too long. We obviously don't know each other so don't you think that is strange?"

When he didn't hear a reply from Sora, he turned to see Sora sitting down on the sofa, with his hands together and staring at the floor.

"Hello? Did you hear me?" Riku asked.

"I guess you are right. It is…strange." Sora replied slowly.

Riku just stood there, with his arms crossing his chest. _He seemed almost…sad. _He thought. _But why do I care?_

"I guess you can leave if you want." Sora said, in a tone like he almost didn't want to say what he just said.

Riku had to blank a couple of times to focus on what he just heard. _I am allowed to leave?_

Riku didn't to answer back, for his actions was enough. He walked toward the door to get his boots to put on and get his coat.

"Sorry if I made you feel like uncomfortable or anything." Sora said as he slowly stood up from the sofa.

Riku finished tying his boots and was about to put his coat.

"You probably want to go home badly."

Riku stopped adjusting his coat, fingers holding tightly at the coat's lapel.

_Home?_

That word bothered him. Of course he had a place to go, a place where he lived and was familiar with. The surroundings, the people. But did he really want to go back? Did he want to go back to that familiarity?

_I can't call that place my home. Do I really want to go back there?_

"Riku, are you alright?" Riku snipped out of thoughts when he heard Sora.

Riku didn't speak.

"Was it something I said?" Said Sora.

"No." Riku took off his coat.

"It was nothing you said." He put his coat on the coat rack on the wall and took his boots off with his feet.

"What?" Sora said.

"Nevermind. Listen…do you mind if …I stay a little longer?" Riku said, turning to face Sora. He couldn't help but notice that there was a very slight smile on Sora's face and couldn't decide whether to question it or ignored.

"Sure. You are more than welcome to." Sora said.

"I can at least help you with like, bills or something." Riku said.

"You don't need to. You are my guest." Sora said with a smile.

"I am not a freeloader, you know." Riku said, pulling his hair back with his hand.

"I never thought you as one. You are just an asshole, Riku." Sora said in a smile.

"Very funny." Riku said sarcastically. _Looks like I am staying._

"Oh I almost forgot. I ordered takeout." Sora walked to where he put the bags he was carrying on the floor and brought one of them to the small kitchen table.

"You ordered takeout?" Riku questioned.

"Yeah. For the both of us"

Riku couldn't help but feel included, which felt strange. A little sense of nostalgia covered his senses, a feeling he probably didn't want to feel at the moment.

"I thought you should have a break from my cooking." Sora was taking out the contents from the bag as Riku was walking over to where he was.

"Help yourself." Sora told Riku as he took off his coat to hang it. He came back to Riku sitting down on the table. RIku noticed Sora was wearing black pants, a white long sleeve shirt and a black apron.

_I'll question that tomorrow. _Riku thought as he started to eat and Sora soon joined him.

_Tomorrow…There is another day for me in this place._

Riku's thoughts were left aside for now as he was, for once, enjoying the food he was eating, although that didn't leave Sora out from complaints on what kind of food he should order next time. Sora did argue back but the smile on his face never left. It bother Riku to why smiling this much. Was it because he decided to stay? If so, what are Sora's intentions? Is there something behind of this and what has been going on for the past few days?

That was something that tomorrow can probably answer.


	6. Chapter 6

**January 3****rd**

"Where did you go yesterday?"

"Huh?" Sora didn't hear Riku clearly. He was cleaning the small kitchen table as Riku was sitting at the sofa. It was around 7 in the morning when Sora woke up, finding that Riku was already awake. Some time has passed, with Sora making some breakfast, which was, of course, accompanied by Riku's complainants.

"I said, where did you go yesterday?" Riku asked again, turned to face where Sora was.

"Oh, I was at work. Didn't I tell you?" Sora said, while moving away from the kitchen and going to the closet.

"I don't remember." Riku said, along he knew he heard something of the sort.

"Well, you were sleeping." Sora said to Riku, taking some clothes from the closet and putting it over his shoulder.

"Maybe that is why I don't recall."

Sora closed the closet door and went to the bathroom, locking the door with a click. Riku stood up, stretched a little and walked towards where the bathroom was. He leaned his back against the door while asking Sora more questions.

"So where do you work?" he asked.

"Umm…I work at…" A rustle was heard inside. "At the other side of town."

"Ok. What kind of place is it?" Riku continued.

"It's small." Some more rustle was heard, probably from the changing of clothes.

"Can you be more specific?"

"How can I be specific?" Sora asked.

"You work at a small place? That's helpful." Riku replied in an annoyed tone.

"Why are you asking in the first place?" Running water from the sink filled the background after.

"I'm curious. Might as well know what the deal with you is if I am going to be here." The water was cut off and the clicking from the door being unlocked was heard. Riku pulled his back away from the door and turned to face the door while it was opening.

Sora was dressed in the black pants and the long sleeve white shirt that Riku noticed yesterday, along with the black apron hanging on his arm.

_Where would he go if he is dressed like that? _Riku thought.

"You are curious? You never showed that you were curious of something." Sora said as he walked away and was tying the black apron around his waist.

"You still are not telling me what I want to know?" Riku said in a frustrated tone.

"What do you want to know?" Sora looked at Riku.

"Where do you work?" Riku said

"Did I just tell you?" Sora passed by Riku to go get his coat on the wall coat rack.

"No, you didn't." Riku said.

"Yes, I did." Sora was putting his arms though the sleeve of his coat and was adjusting it on the shoulders. "I said I work at a small place."

"You are annoying." Riku scuffed.

"And you're welcome." Sora smiled as he open the apartment door. "I should be back in the evening."

"Whatev-" The door shut, cutting off what Riku was saying, making him frustrated, making him kick at nothing across the floor.

_The nerve of that guy. What the fuck did I agree to stay anyway?_ Riku sat himself on the sofa with a thump. He sighed heavily. He looked at the ceiling.

_Why am I still here?_

Riku closed his eyes slowly, breathing in and out.

The silence filled his ears, some birds chirping from outside, inhaling and exhaling.

_Why am I still here?_

His mind was beginning to become lost, digging into something. Digging into something deep.

The different lights shining, the smell of coffee and rustle of papers. Black hair in the distance. Short black hair. A smile.

That smile. That fake smile.

_Why am I still here?_

A sound of broken glass was heard, and at that, Riku opened his eyes.

"What the hell?" Riku looked towards the door.

"Damn it." It was faint but definitely a voice.

Riku got up to walk towards the door, quick shoved his feet into his boots, opened the door and walked out. He turned to his left to see someone kneeling down on the floor picking up pieces of broken glass. The person had a black coat on and very pale skin. The long beige hair covered most of the person's face from the side.

"What happened?" Riku asked.

"It is those goddamn stairs!" The person faced to where Riku was standing, their green eyes showed intense anger.

"What about them?" Riku said.

"They are too fucking narrow! And now I probably have to get another beaker!" The person, assumingly a man, picked up the last piece of glass from the floor and put all the pieces in a plastic bag he took out from his coat pocket.

"Who the hell are you?" The man asked as he stood up from the floor.

"I haven't seen you around here before." He continued.

"I am just a wanderer." Riku said.

"Did you move in the building or something?" The man asked.

"Not really." Riku said.

"Then what is it? What kind of answer is that?!" The man raised his voice.

"Geesh, what is your problem, old man?" Riku scoffed after his response.

"Old man!? Who are you calling old man, you fucking brat?" The man stared at Riku with an angry face, which didn't affect Riku one bit.

"I don't have time for this. I have to get back to my studies." He reached into his coat pocket to take out a set of keys and walked towards a door that was two doors down from Sora's apartment.

"Did me a favor, kid and don't get in my way." The man said.

"I come out here to check what happened and I meet a dick like you." Riku said, crossing his arms.

"Maybe you should mind your business," The door clicked and the man opened the door, "and learn some fucking manners." Soon after, the man shut the door quickly forcefully and the click soon followed.

_What an asshole. _Riku thought as he was walking back to Sora's apartment. His hand reached the doorknob and twists it. Except the knob didn't twist. It stayed in its' place.

_Don't tell me…_

Riku tried again and the same thing happened. Then he shook the door in frustration.

_I'm locked out. How come I didn't hear the door closed!?_

"You got to be fucking kidding me…" Riku said to himself. He kicked the door , threw a punch then backed away to try to relax.

"This is just great." Riku mumbled.

_Now what I am going to do?_

Riku put his hand on his forehead and tried to think.

_Not going to ask for fucking help. Since I met that fucking asshole, I bet all the people in the building are like this._

Riku sat on the floor.

_I could wait for Sora. Who am I fucking kidding? I don't when he is coming back! The least he could do is give me a fucking time._

Riku ran his hand through his hair to get rid the strands hanging on front of his face.

_Not going to sit here and wait like a dog. Out of the question._

Riku got up and slowly walked towards the stairs.

"Might as well go outside." Riku said to himself as he walked downstairs with his hands in his jean pockets.

_And I left my coat in there too. _

"Mind over matter, I guess." Riku reached to the building's entrance and opened the door. The cold hit his skin instantly, feeling goosebumps rising as a wind passed by. Riku didn't mind the cold but without his coat and just wearing jeans, a black short sleeve t-shirt and boots, it was going to be a challenge.

Riku already caught a couple of stares from people walking by him, which he stared back harshly. He just let himself wonder the streets, no knowing what to do but definitely didn't want to stay in one place and not do anything as well. He felt the chill run up his spine every time a cold wind blows. It starts out as a nice feeling but it later turns into a challenge of trying to keep warm.

_Ding-dong-ding-dong_

Riku's ears ringed to the sounds he just heard. Echoes filled the air from this omnipotent sound.

_Church bells… _Riku thought. He sensed he was probably near a church again, like last time. And just like last time, he was counting along each strike heard from the bells.

_9…10…11...12. _The sounds then stopped and Riku can now hear the wind again.

_It's twelve o'clock. _Riku thought. _Damn, am I really losing track of time. Fuck…_

Riku across the street, not really know where he was going.

_I really need to stop that habit. It is going to make me sick one day. _

Riku continued walking straight without a source of direction in mind. He can still feel goosebumps on his arms from the cold winds blowing now and then.

_And why the hell am I still hearing those bells? The last thing I want is to be reminded._

Riku was getting frustrated from his thoughts running through his mind, question after the other without a single answer for any of them.

His thoughts, the cold winds, the crunch of ice under his boots, the stares, all of these things annoyed him and Riku felt like he was going to lose his mind.

"Excuse me?"

_A voice._

For some reasons, Riku felt like his senses were coming back. He didn't recognize where he was, or how he got there, as a matter a fact. It seemed different from where he came from. A little shops here and there, very clean and holidays decorations on the trees and street lamps.

Riku turned to his left and noticed a person. A girl with pale skin, just like his. She had blond hair and blue eyes.

"Are you interested?" she said. Her voice was what he heard.

"Interested in what?" Riku's voice slightly shivered in the end.

"For free hot cocoa." The girl smiled. "Our café is doing a promotion today."

"Promotion?" Riku looked up to see a sign of what does in fact look like a café. He saw the words "Wishing Star" in yellow colored cursive.

"I see." He brought his eye level back to the pale girl.

"Why don't you come in?" The girl said.

"Not interested." Riku was about to turn until the girl interrupted his movement.

"We don't have that many customers and it looks like you might need it. You are freezing." There was concern in her voice.

"No, I am not." Riku said, despite the shivering in his voice become more intense.

"Aw, you poor thing. Please come in." The girl grabbed Riku's arm and opened the door behind her to bring Riku inside.

"Hey!" Riku was dragged inside, which his body felt an instant change of warmth in comparison to the temperature outside. His eyes looked around the café and noticed its décor. The walls were cool brown, with crème colored molding near the ceiling and middle of the walls. A few painting of landscapes are seen hanged on some of the walls. The furniture was mostly wooden round tables and chairs, with a few couches and sofa on the corner. The counter, where the cashier and the glass display of varies sweets and a chalkboard with prices and the café's specialties behind, was perpendicular with the café's main window, with the view of the street filled with snow and small rays of the sun.

Riku felt the girl let go, him checking his arm if she left any marks.

"Have a seat while I'll get your hot cocoa." The girl said.

"I said I wasn't-" Riku wasn't able to finish as the girl walked away. He doubted she was going to hear him anyway.

He could have left but he was getting warming so he might as well take a seat.

He focused more on his surroundings while he took a seat nearby.

The decoration on the molding seemed to be around the art nouveau style, based on Riku's knowledge. The walls gradients from dark to light tone from the ground up. He noticed that in the corner, where the couches were, was someone sleeping on the sofa, the body laid on the back. Riku didn't focused much on the person, just took note that the person had dirty gelled blond hair and was wearing clothing similar to those of the girl.

"Here you go." Riku heard the girl voiced again, turning away from what he was looking at to face the girl as she laid a teacup on the table, along with a plate of some kind of cake.

"This is on the house." She pointed at the cake as she sat at the chair across from Riku.

"Why?" Riku asked.

"We haven't had many customers this much because of the holidays and stuff. Plus, I felt like been nice, seeing you that you were suffering from the cold." The girl giggled.

"I wasn't suffering." Riku said in a frustrated tone.

"Oh come on, I am just teasing." The girl said.

Riku took a sip from the teacup, ignoring the heat that passed through his lips.

"My name is Namine." The girl said as Riku put down his cup.

"I'm Riku." Riku said, with not much enthusiasm as the girl.

"So tell me, Riku, what made you go outside without a coat?" Namine said.

"It's a long story and not really your business." Riku said.

"Aren't you sweet?" Namine smiled.

"Whatever." Riku looked at the slice of cake on front of him.

"That's carrot cake if you are wondering." Said Namine.

Riku picked up a fork Namine put along the plate and took a bite.

"It's good." Riku said, taking another small piece.

"Oh really? Oh that's good to hear." Namine clapped her hands together as she smiled.

"It's not too sweet and I can taste the carrot just fine. Not bad." Riku put down the fork next to the half-eaten slice, wiping his month with a napkin.

"One of our waiters made it. I will definitely tell him that the cake received a positive review." Namine said. "Speaking of waiters…" Namine continued, tilted on the side, seeming to look behind Riku.

"HEY, HAYNER!" Namine yelled loudly, causing Riku to flinch.

Riku heard a heavy thump, causing him to turn and see the one Namine calls Hayner, on the floor and scratching his head as he was trying to get up.

"What the hell, Namine?" Riku heard Hayner mumbled.

"Don't sleep on the job. We had to help our customers." Namine said.

"We are barely get customers this week, Namine." Hayner stretched and put his hands behind his head as he walked pass Riku and Namine.

"Give me a break, will ya?" Hayner said as he went behind the counter and went through a swinging door.

"Sorry about that." Namine turned back to face Riku.

"You could have warned me if you were going to yell." Riku was massaging his ears to get rid of the small ringing from Namine's sudden yell.

"That was the only way to wake up Hayner. He also works at the restaurant, The Usual Spot so he's always tired. I understand why he wants to sleep sometimes." Namine smiled.

Riku took a sip from his cup, with the hot cocoa now cooled down, making it easier to drink. He heard the swinging door being moved again and didn't pay attention who came out until he heard that voice.

"Riku?"

Riku looked at the person was called his name.

"What the hell?" Riku put down his cup frustratingly.

Namine turned to look behind her.

"Oh Sora! I was going to get you!" Namine got up, fixing off some wrinkles on front of her skirt.

"Good news! Your carrot cake is getting good reviews!" Namine smiled as she watched Sora walked around the counter and coming to where Namine and Riku were.

"Excuse me?" Riku said, making Namine turn back to him.

"Sora was the one who baked the carrot cake that you like." Sora arrived to where Namine was, looking at Riku.

"Please tell me you are joking." Riku got up from his chair.

"What's the problem, Riku?" Sora said.

"Problem? You can't cook, so I can't believe that you can bake." Riku said.

"Well, I did bake it and it seems that you liked it." Sora said, staring at Riku in eye contact.

"You are lying." Riku stared back.

"Umm…do you guys know each other?" Namine asked on the side.

Sora said "Yes," and Riku said "No," at the same time, confusing Namine.

"Can I have a clearer answer?" Namine specified to the guys.

"Riku is a friend of mine." Sora replied.

"I am not a friend of his." Riku said as he looked at Namine.

A few seconds of silence followed, which was broken with a heavy sigh from Namine.

"I'll come back when things here are a little less…confusing." Namine walked away, leaving whatever situation Sora and Riku are developing. She went through the swinging door and disappeared.

Riku sat back down; drinking what was left from his cup as a distraction. Sora sat down where Namine was sitting, looking at Riku.

"What are you doing here?" Sora asked.

"What are _you _doing here?" Riku asked the same question, setting his cup down.

"I…work here." Sora looked to the side.

"So this is where you work."

Sora didn't say anything.

"So why couldn't you tell me in the first place when I asked?"

"Didn't you follow me here or something? Were you that desperate in knowing where I work?" Sora looked back at Riku.

"As if! I just happened to be around the area and then that Namine girl dragged me in here." Riku replied.

"Sounds like Namine actually." Sora said.

"She is an odd girl." Riku said.

"She is a nice person once you get to know her." Sora said.

"Whatever." Riku folded his arms. "It still doesn't explain why you didn't tell me where you work when I asked."

"I knew you were going to make fun of me, asshole. I mean, come on, if I told you I was a waiter, I was bond to made fun of." Sora said.

Riku didn't say anything, not really sure if what Sora said holds true to how Riku would have reacted if Sora told him that earlier.

"In change of subject, why don't you have a coat with you?" Sora asked.

"I got locked out." Riku replied.

"How did you get locked out?"

"Oh I don't know, the door closed on me." Riku said sarcastically.

"Why you went out though?" Sora asked.

_Goddamn it, too many questions. _Riku thought.

"I heard something from the hallway and I met up with some dick. I realized then that I got locked out, unable to get my coat. So I decided to walk around and then I ended up here." Riku said.

"Oh, you must have met Vexen." Sora said.

"Vexen?"

"Yeah, he is that dick you met. He's like that. He kind of reminds me of someone." Sora grinned, looking at Riku."

"Fuck off."

Their conversation, whether one can call it one, continued on and off, with arguments and complaints included. Sora introduced Namine properly to Riku when she came back and the same with her to Riku, despite Riku saying that he and Sora knew each other.

The café closed in the afternoon, noted to Riku by Namine that the café closes very early near and after the holidays. Riku watched Hayner lock the front door and separated from Hayner and Namine, who waved goodbye to Sora and Riku as they walked on one direction. Sora and Riku walked another direction, with Riku following Sora as he didn't know where to go from the café. Riku had his hands on his jeans pockets and noticed that Sora was carrying a white box.

"What are you carrying?" Riku asked.

"I brought some of the carrot cake I made. Namine told me that you liked it when she served it to you so I made sure to take some extra slices for you." Sora said with a mocking sort of tone.

"No thanks. I still think that it was a lie that you baked that cake." Riku said and he and Sora crossed the street.

"Believe what you want, Riku. I know you like it." Sora grinned, seeming to enjoy in mocking Riku and noticed that it annoyed him. "You sure you aren't cold?"

"I can handle it." Riku said.

"I'll make tea when we get there." Sora said. "We can have some carrot cake with it, don't you think?" A small laugh was heard from Sora.

_How annoying. _Riku thought, which he said "Shut up," as a reply right after."

* * *

**I am not one for doing notes but I thought one was necessary for now. **

**I am thankful for the favorites and the followings and hope more will continue to come. The reviews have helped and I had read them. Any criticism, whether positive or negative, are much appreciated so when there is a chance, a review is welcomed.**

**I don't own or claim the creation of the characters, to which are from the video games series _Kingdom Hearts_, created by Square Enix. I only claim the fiction of this story. **

**My thanks again and hopefully another chapter will be written as soon as possible.**


	7. Chapter 7

**January 14th**

A week or so has passed.

Nothing much of interest as each day seems to follow a similar (we may call it) schedule. Waking up in someone else's apartment, eating, waiting, some remarks, eating and sleeping (or at least try to) and repeat for the next day.

This was how Riku saw it as the days passed by.

However, there were some adaptations that Riku did take in part.

He has lately been going to the café, Wishing Star, to make the day go faster for him. That and he occasionally get bored in Sora's apartment with nothing to do but read the books from the bookcase.

There was obliviously nothing else interesting in the apartment (to him, at least) and he rather keep to himself and staying away from people, especially the neighbors. Besides the only encounter of a neighbor being that old man named Vexen, as Sora told him, Riku rather keep things this way.

A few details he does keep in mind if he were to meet Vexen again. From what he can remember from the so called "conversations" he had with Sora, Vexen is, or was, a professor from some university, studying in the fields of science. Vexen was someone who doesn't make an effort to connect with the neighbors and as an additional detail, at least to Riku, the guy was a dick.

Putting that aside, there was nothing really interesting. At least to him.

It was already the afternoon, with the sun shining through the windows of Sora's apartment. Riku can feel the heat, although small, from the sunlight on his back as he was sitting on the sofa, tying the laces on his boats. His hair dangled on the side, in which he brought his hand up to push it back behind his ear.

A wind passed by through the crack on the window.

Riku lay back against the sofa after he finished tying his boots. A sigh soon followed.

"_My body feels tired." _Riku thought.

"_Of course it does. I haven't been able to rest since I got here."_ Riku continued to pounder.

"_How long have I been here?"_ Riku closed his eyes.

A small wind passed through the window, whistling.

"Damn, How in the hell did I lose track?" Riku said to himself.

There was silence, not a sound.

"Maybe you wanted to lose track."

"_A voice…"_ Riku thought. He didn't dare open his eyes. That voice was heard on the side of him but he didn't need to see who it was. The voice was all too familiar.

"What are you doing here?" Riku asked in a frustrated tone.

"You know all too well why I am here." The voice said.

Riku still kept his eyes closed, hoping that the voice will go away.

"Why don't you look at me?" The voice was in a playful tone.

"I thought I got rid of you." Riku replied, opening his eyes slowly.

"You know that is hard to do, right?" The voice stayed playful; the voice was teasing Riku.

Riku slightly turned his head to where he heard the voice. He had a feeling of who he was expecting to see. His eyes opening revealed a person sitting on the kitchen table and staring back at him.

Riku saw himself.

"Surprise, Surprise." This Riku had a grin on his face, a devilish one.

"What are you doing here?" Riku asked.

"Again with that question. You really need to chill." A smirk followed after the comment.

"Get out of here, Replica." Riku said angrily.

"Geesh, I always hated that nickname."

"Get out."

"Riku…you and I both know that can't happen." Replica still had that devilish smile on his face as he stared at Riku.

"Do you feel tired, Riku?" Replica continued.

"None of your business." Riku replied.

"You know I can read your mind. Your body feels tired, I can tell."

"Shut up!" Riku grabbed the nearest thing on the sofa, which was a book, and threw at Replica. Replica dodged it by getting off the table sideways. A hard thump sound followed.

"So much anger. I wonder why." Replica looked at Riku.

"I told you to shut up." Riku said through his teeth, looking at Replica dead on.

"You always been so angry. Why don't you let it out?"

"Fuck you."

"You always keep it in. You need to chill." Replica crossed his arms.

Riku looked to the side, trying hard to calm himself down.

"Oh? Speechless, Riku?" Replica slowly walked towards Riku.

"You have nothing say?"

Riku kept silent, somehow unaware that Replica was walking closer to him. He felt his body slowly becoming numb, the sensation prickling up his spine. As he turned his face towards Replica, he felt hands on the sides of his face, pushing his body back against the sofa with Replica on front of him, who was towering over him; his legs kneeling on the sides of Riku's body.

Riku felt his body in shock.

"Does this feel familiar?" Fingers went through Riku's hair.

"I know it does." Replica pressed his body against Riku's, looking down at Riku's shocked eyes.

"You remember this, don't you? This feeling you had?" Replica smiled.

"You never really forgotten."

Riku couldn't move or speak yet his mind was still able to think. _"Why do I still remember?" _he thought.

Although Replica known what Riku was thinking, he didn't reply. He went close to his ear, whispering in a sinister voice.

"Maybe that's why you are staying. You don't want to go back."

Riku was able to blink at that moment. It was quick. After he blinked, Replica was gone. He was able to move his body again. He began to breathe hard, feeling cold sweat running down his forehead. His hands were shaking, his hair falling from the sides of his face. He got up to go the bathroom. He went to the sink and splashed the rushing cold water at his face. He stopped after a few times, feeling droplets falling off his face as his ears was filled with the sounds of the running water.

His head throbbed, feeling the blood rushing through after the shock he experienced.

"_What was that?"_ he thought.

"_What happened?...Why did it happen?" _His shaking hand turned off the running water. His mind replayed the words of Replica, of what Replica said to him.

"_What does he know?" _Riku put his hands up to his face, rubbing his eyes with his fingertips. His palms felt wet, leaving his face and he saw himself on the mirror front of him. His pale face, the light on his green eyes, his thin lips, the white hair with strands sticking on the sides of his face.

It was a daunting image.

"He doesn't know anything." He said, referring to what Replica last said to him.

"He doesn't know anything."

Riku's eyes slightly widen as he realized he had lost track of time. He walked out of the bathroom, drying his face with the t-shirt he had on. He ran his fingers through his hair to get rid of the strands on front of his face as he was getting his coat.

He walked out the door with his coat hanging from his arm. The door shut behind him. He knew it will be locked so he didn't bother checking. He put on his coat as he went down the stairs, glad that he didn't interact with anyone. He went out the building door, the cold air hitting him and he started walking.

He arrived at the café, seeing a few customers having cups of coffee and a little plates of food at the tables, some engaging in conversations, others reading a newspaper or a book. He was greeted with a familiar face walking up to him.

"Hello, Riku." It was Namine, smiling at him while holding a black round tray on one arm.

"You are a little late." She said.

"Were you timing me or something?" Riku asked in his usually tone.

"I am just teasing you, geesh." She said as she followed Riku walking to a nearby table. She sit across from Riku, watching him take off his coat.

"I don't find it funny." Riku sat down.

Namine giggled.

"Are you taking a break or something?"

"Not really," she said. "We don't get a lot of customers since it is still the holiday season, so things are kind of slow."

Riku looked around, saw a young couple laughing at a table near a corner and a man taking a sip from his cup at the window.

"Do you want anything?" Namine asked.

"No." Riku said as he turned to face Namine.

"You sure? You always ordered a cappuccino." Namine smiled, lifting a hand to her face and leaning her elbow on the table.

"That was only twice. You make it sound like I always come here." Riku said.

"A cappuccino it is." Namine giggled then sound loudly to Hayner, who was behind the counter, about the cappuccino order.

"I don't see the point in convincing you that I don't need it." Riku said, which Namine laughed as a response.

Riku heard footsteps nearby, making him look to where the footsteps were coming from. A man approached near Namine. He was tall and his hair was medium length, up to his shoulders and looked a bit messy. The hair color was what Riku meant find as pink with a tint of darkness.

"Namine." The man said, in a soft tone.

She turned to her side and saw the man. Riku noticed that she smiled.

"Marluxia." She said, facing back to Riku. "Riku, this is Marluxia. He is the owner of the cafe."

"Hello." Marluxia said.

Riku nodded slightly. Marluxia turned his face back to Namine.

"Are you on break, Namine?" Riku heard Marluxia said.

"Yeah." Namine replied.

Riku noticed Marluxia's left hand rise up, the hand moving past the back of Namine's neck, probably lightly trailing his fingers across. Some of Namine's hair followed its trail and strands falling back into place, one by one. In a glance, this can go unnoticed. It can be seen as a pat on a back for someone who just looked and went back into their business. But not Riku. No, he noticed these things and notices them fairly well. His sense of observation was much higher, with actions such as this was never left unnoticed.

"We don't have lot of customers today." Riku returned to listening, hearing Namine continue talking to Marluxia.

"I already did all the orders." Namine said.

"It is fine. It is slow today." Marluxia said. "Just came to check on things."

"Okay." Said Namine.

"Nice to meet you." Marluxia said this to Riku, facing him.

Riku slightly nodded again, watching Marluxia walking away, going behind the counter and such, with Namine paying attention to him once more, obliviously smiling.

"That was my boss. He is quiet but he is nice." Namine said.

"How do you know him?" Riku said abruptly.

"Um, he is my boss, Riku. Weren't you listening?"

Riku slightly chuckled. "Oh, you don't understand." A small smirk was visible which Namine noticed.

"How do you _know _him, Namine?" Riku made sure that he emphasized enough so Namine can get the hint.

"W-what?" She was confused.

"I've noticed his hand brushed against your neck." Namine was silent. He continued,

"I could be mistaken and he was being nice, like you said. He could have removed something from your hair, like a gentleman. But it wasn't that, wasn't it? He trailed his fingers on your neck, in a way that you know you will feel it."

He saw Namine's cheeks begining to blush, with her avoiding her eyes making contact with his.

"I-I don't know w-what you are talking about," was what she was able to say at the moment.

"I believe that you and him are not simply an employee and boss, am I correct?" Riku said.

"I-it i-is nothing l-like that..." Namine was getting nervous, proving more to what Riku was saying was correct.

"Namine, the order is ready." Hayner said loudly from behind the counter.

As if luck was on Namine's side, it saved her from being in the position she was currently in. Her body quickly stood up, the sudden movement made the chair scratch its feet against the floor.

"Coming!" Namine walk away, or more like paced away, from Riku, getting the order from the counter.

Riku didn't expect Namine to come back as quickly as she left. What he did expect was for her to stay at the counter, making small talk to Hayner or whatever other thing, to make an excuse to stay there.

_She probably wants to get rid of that blush on her face, _Riku thought, knowing that what he said to Namine had some truth in it. He did let this thought go as whatever was going on with Namine had no interest to him. He just likes to point out the observations he gets.

It was like a game to him.

The café door opened, a rush of cold air came in. The sound of someone's voice caught Namine's attention, making her screech in delight for whatever reason. Namine didn't try to hide how excited she was.

"Namine!"

"Oh my god, you're back!" Namine screeched as she went to the person and hugged them tightly. The person's voice bothered Riku, as his mind was telling him something was familiar about it. He looked to where Namine was hugging the person, with Namine's head covering their face. Riku was able to see the person's hair and body. The hair color was auburn red, which Riku didn't recognize but the figure struck to him as familier.

A skinny and petite figure, with a slight curve on the hip.

As Namine pulled away, the person's face was becoming more visible and Riku's eyes slowly widened.

_It's her._ Riku thought in shock.

The hair was different, the body was familiar but the person's face was all the same to Riku.

_It's her. _Riku thought in anger, feeling his teeth grind.

He saw the person put a wide smile towards Namine, who was walking away to go to the back door behind the counter. The person brought their hand up to pull the hair behind their ear, noticing after a while that they felt like they were being watched.

The person turned their head and made contact with Riku's eyes in an instant. There was no hesitation from Riku's end. He didn't budge nor did he try to break the eye contact. He can see that this was making the person nervous and uncomfortable. But that is how he wanted them to feel.

The person's eyes nervously went back and forth, meeting with Riku's eyes and avoiding. No matter how many times they look, Riku continued to stare at them.

The door behind the counter opened, with Sora and Namine walking out.

"Kairi!" Sora said.

Both Riku and the person, who Sora called Kairi, turned their heads to where Sora was. Riku can see a relief expression on Kairi's face, probably from Riku's intense staring.

Kairi walked up to the counter with a smile and greeted Sora.

"Hey Sora! It is good to see you."

"You too, Kairi. How was your vacation?" Sora smiled.

"It was great. I finally get to relax, you know."

"I bet you did."

"Feels kind of weird to be back." Both Sora and Kairi laughed at that comment.

Riku saw both of them laughing from where he is sitting. He saw Namine coming over to him with a cup on her hand.

"Here's you cappuccino, Riku." She lay down the cup close to him on the table.

"It's kind of late." He said.

"Um, sorry." Namine blushed. "I was…distracted."

Riku decided not to comment as he took a sip from the cup.

"I was greeting someone. She just came back from her vacation."

"That was oblivious." Said Riku.

Namine smiled. "I should introduce you. She works here too so you will be seeing her."

"No than-" Namine didn't let Riku finish as she grabbed his wrist and pull him out of his chair, forcibly bringing him to where Sora and Kairi are.

Riku felt Namine griping on to his wrist, maybe having a sense that Riku will try to get away. Riku didn't try though.

Sora noticed the pair coming near the counter, turning to face them as they arrived.

"Oh hey, Riku." Sora said with a smile.

"I brought him over to introduce him to Kairi." Namine said to Sora.

"Oh, of course! I am sorry, Kairi. This is Riku. Riku, this is Kairi. She works here." Sora said.

She didn't show it but Riku can tell that she felt uncomfortable bring near him, especially since they were in an intense eye contact a few minutes ago.

"Nice to meet you, Riku." Kairi walked up to Riku, extending her hand.

Riku didn't repeat her action. He didn't want to give her a handshake. That decision made the air uncomfortable and tensed for everyone.

"Um..." Kairi slowly brought her hand down.

Riku felt a nodge from behind him. It was from Namine.

"What is the matter?" Namine whispered.

"What are you talking about?" Riku whispered back.

"I am sorry, is there a problem?" Kairi said.

"No, Kairi. Riku is kind of...shy?" Namine didn't even on what she was saying.

"Do you have a problem with me?" Kairi decided to be straight forwarded.

Riku didn't hesitiate. "Yes."

"What are you talking about?" Sora asked Kairi.

"He was staring at me a while ago. So I am asking him if he has a problem." Kairi replied.

"And I said I did."

The situation didn't make it easy for Namine and Sora to figure out what was going on.

"Do you guys...know each other?" Sora asked.

"I never met him before. I don't know what is his problem or who the hell is he."

"Oh really now?" Riku said.

"What is your problem?" Kairi's tone was getting louder.

"Don't pretend."

"I am pretending? I never met you before!"

"Don't lie."

"What am I lying about?!"

Namine went in between Riku and Kairi, feeling that this arguing was getting out of hand. She grabbed Kairi's arm.

"Hey, Kairi, why don't we go see Marluxia? You haven't seen him yet." Namine slightly pulled Kairi, indicating that Kairi really didn't have much of a choice.

"Ok, sure." Kairi went with Namine to the back door as Riku watched them walk away. He let out a frustrated sigh.

"Are you ok, Riku?" Sora asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what was all that about?"

"None of your business." Riku brought his hand up to his face, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I don't think she knows, Riku." Sora said.

Riku didn't answer right away but he did say something. It was low and he probably was telling it to himself but Sora heard it.

"She looks so much like her."

_Her? _Sora thought. This caught his attention immediately and it increased Sora's curiosity about Riku ever so more since he didn't really know anything about Riku since they met.

"Who are you talking about, Riku?"

Riku looked at Sora. His eyes were calm and bright. His face wasn't serious or frustrated like how it always was. It was different. It almost looked as if he was relaxed, which made Sora slightly blush.

_Riku…_Sora thought. Maybe he wanted to tell something to Sora. Maybe Riku's sudden look can mean that there was probably a chance that Sora could know more about Riku.

"Can you not eavesdrop?"

Or maybe not.

Sora sighed. _Why do I even try?_

"Hey Riku, what was that all about?" Hanyer's voice was heard from behind Sora, who was coming out of the back door.

"I was hearing something was going on from the back."

"None of your business." Riku said.

"I am going out." Riku said right after, walking away from the counter to get his coat from the table he was sitting. He then went through the café door, not giving a chance for Sora or Hayner to say anything.

"What is his problem?" Hayner asked Sora as the door was heard being shut.

"I don't know, Hayner." He replied.

_All I know that meeting Kairi bothered him. _Sora thought. _And I wish I knew why._

It was mid-afternoon and the day went on at the café, with the little customers it had. Sora, Namine and Hayner were hearing the stories from Kairi about her vacation throughout the day. Riku never came back in the café so Sora assumed that he went back to his apartment.

Around early evening, the employees were told that they can leave early if they wanted to. The business for the café was slow and wasn't going to get any better without having a decent amount of customers coming in. Sora decided to take that opportunity.

Sora left through the front door, waving goodbye to everyone. He adjusted his coat as he walked away from the café and he noticed something not so far. There was someone with long white hair and a black coat leaning against a brick wall at the corner of the same block.

"Riku?" Sora said as he went up close to Riku.

"You took forever." Sora saw Riku's icy breath as he talked.

"I thought you went back."

"Back where?"

"To the apartment."

"I don't have the key."

"Oh." _That make sense. _Sora thought.

"Idiot." Riku said.

"Sorry. But have you been waiting out here in the cold all this time?"

"I am used to it." Riku replied.

"Still, it must of bothered you."

"The cold numbs things out."

That stood out the most to Sora from what Riku was saying to him. Something about those words tell way more than what it simply intended to mean.

"Like what, Riku?"

There was a pause before Riku walked away from Sora, not answering Sora's question. But Sora kind of expected for Riku not to answer anyway.

Sora followed Riku to walk the familiar path to the apartment but for some reason, it still felt weird to Sora. Sora still didn't know much about Riku and probably won't be able to. Thinking about this path as familiar sounded as if he and Riku did this all the time but actually, it was only for the time he and Riku knew each other, which wasn't long to begin with.

Were they even friends? Or can be considered friends?

This really didn't bother Sora so much. Just what Riku said last was what kept repeating in Sora's mind.

"_The cold numbs things out."_

_I think I know what you mean, Riku. _Sora thought as he looked at Riku on the side as they were walking. _And I agree._

The cold was stinging Sora's cheeks and the street lights came to life, lighting the way out of the darkness of the coming night.

_The cold numbs things out indeed._


End file.
